


Chicago Clones

by BlackHunter666



Category: Scarecrow Series - Matthew Reilly, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Family, Finding home, Galaxy jumping, Gen, M/M, new worlds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-03 01:07:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 38
Words: 227,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2832641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHunter666/pseuds/BlackHunter666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>28 clones have arrived on Earth, mysteriously appearing in an underground facility belonging to the female bounty hunter, Emily. She doesn't want them around but there is something about these men that won't let her harm them. Perhaps these strangers from a galaxy so unlike her own can show her a way back out of the shadows she's lived in since she was a child. Contains Slash!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Realisations

Head snapping up at the sound of the intruder alarm ringing through the base, Emily Hunter scrambled out of the maintenance hatch on the fighter she was repairing and hit the ground running. Drawing her favoured sidearms, she checked the location of the intruders, finding a large collection of markers on the top floor of the facility. Whistling sharply as she passed the central area of the base, she was joined by her ever loyal war dogs, the trio hitting the stairs on the fly and heading up two levels.

Shooting off the stairs, they turned sharply and headed for the arrival hanger, Emily pausing at another security console to check on the intruders. This time she got an accurate count on the intruders and her blood ran cold at the odds. She was good but taking on 28 at once, even with her dogs at her side was a tough ask. But tough ask or not, she was not going to allow these intruders to chase her from her home.

Pistols up, she pressed her back against the closed door and waited a moment before spinning around into the open door and levelling her weapons. Sweeping the room with her right pistol, she reached out with her left and hit the lights, blinking to adjust her eyes to the sudden bright lights in the arrival hanger.

Then she saw them. Scattered around the arrivals hanger, leaning up against supply crates, draped over the weapon cleaning table and spread out over the floor, the intruders were still and silent. It was impossible to even tell if they were alive, their bodies encased in some kind of hard, white plastic if the faint sheen was anything to go by. In the middle of the group though, sprawled over a missile crate, one man wasn't covered in the white material, he was wearing a grey-blue jumpsuit of some kind.

Lowering her weapons slowly, Emily cautiously moved closer to the group, watching them closely for any signs of life. Crouching beside one of them, she reached out to touch the yellow paint on the chestplate, pressing firmly to feel the soft rise of breath underneath. Nodding slowly, she stood and moved on deeper into the group, leaving her dogs to watch her back.

Whipping around when another man groaned, she drew both pistols and advanced on him, noting the dark green paint on his armour. He was slumped against another missile crate, a strange looking weapon resting beside him. Holstering her right pistol, she reached out and nudged him gently, keeping her left pistol aimed at him as a deterrent.  
'easy Ma'am, I'm no threat.' he offered, helmet turning her way as he lifted his hands into clear view, well away from his weapon.  
'Who or what are you?' Emily growled, right hand dropping back to her holstered pistol.  
'My name is Gree.' he replied, slowly removing his helmet and setting it beside his hip before raising his hands again. 'I mean you no harm.'

Snapping around at another noise from the intruders, Emily darted through the group to stand over one of the men flaked out flat on the ground.  
'Whoa. Easy now Ma'am, I don't want any trouble.' he uttered, slowly sitting up and looking around. 'This isn't the barracks.'  
'Lose the bucket, Kix.' Gree called, catching Emily's attention for a moment.  
'Sir?' Kix asked, head cocked to the side as he reached up and did as he was told.  
'This isn't right; we need to think smart to get though this mess.' Gree shrugged, lowering his hands slowly.  
'Hands away from any weapons before I decide to start shooting!' Emily snapped, noticing a third intruder reaching for the weapon at his side.  
'Leave it Sketch.' Gree added, slowly getting to his feet.  
'Sit the hell back down!' Emily roared, whirling on him again. 'Until I know exactly what the fuck you lot are doing here and who you all are, you stay put!'  
'I apologise Ma'am.' Gree nodded, sinking back down and looking around the group.

Backing out of the group, Emily took up a post by the only exit point and waited, watching the men stir and remove their helmets, revealing a big shock to her unbelieving eyes. Despite minor differences with their hair, scars, facial hair and even tattoos, the faces were all the same. Even the one not wearing armour, aged and worn, had the same basic features. It was extraordinary to see so many faces with the same base.  
'Is something wrong, Ma'am?' one asked, his armour marked with red.  
'What the fuck are you?' Emily demanded, gaze flicking around the group. 'No group of men this large should look this damn close to identical.'  
'We're clones Ma'am. Haven't you heard of the Clone Wars?' another replied, his armour marked with a dark blue.  
'Clone Wars? Cloning has been unsuccessful all over the world and it's outlawed in America.' Emily countered, refusing to believe what she was hearing.  
'America?' a different blue marked man asked, head cocked to the side. 'Is that the name of this planet? I've never heard of it.'  
'What the fuck are you on? Everyone knows that this is the planet Earth and America is a nation. Right now, you are underneath Chicago in the state of Illinois, part of the United States of America.' Emily explained, unable to believe the stupid tricks these men were trying to pull.

Swapping confused looks, none of the men seemed to know what she was talking about. They all had blank faces, the place names going right over their heads.  
'Ma'am, I don't know how this happened to us but I think we've stepped from our reality into yours. It is clear that you don't know anything of where we came from and we know nothing of this place. Perhaps we can work together to find our way home.' the grey marked man suggested, keeping the right side of his face turned away from Emily.  
'You know, it's considered good manners to look at the person you're speaking to.' Emily replied, unimpressed with his behaviour.  
'I didn't want to shock you with my scars.' he shrugged, turning to face her properly.

Taking in the long scar intersecting his right eye and the weird little white thing in the actual eye socket, Emily sighed and turned to present her left side to him before lifting her shirt. At first the men were shocked, averting their gazes but curiosity won out and they looked, taking in the massive, jagged scar running right down her side.  
'I understand the life of a warrior. I was a soldier once, earned that one when an IED exploded while I was working with my team to save a village of women and children from the enemy. Scars do not offend me, they tell stories of heroic actions and close calls. They are a mark of survival.' she explained, lowering her shirt and turning back to face them. 'It doesn't take a genius to realise you are soldiers, from a different place but soldiers none the less. I don't have a lot to offer but you are welcome to stay here until you find the way home.' she nodded, satisfied with the choice.  
'Thank you, Ma'am.' one of the other grey marked men replied, shoulders dropping in relief.  
'Emily, my name is Emily. These are my war dogs, Romus and Remus.' Emily grinned, indicating the pair sitting quietly at her feet. 'Come on, it's more comfortable in the lower levels. I hope you guys don't mind close quarters, I don't have a lot of accommodation space down here. This is more of an operations centre than a home, I'll have to organise better transport to get you all out to my real home.' she continued, leaning against the wall comfortably.  
'Close quarters is fine, we're used to it.' Gree replied, glancing over his shoulder. 'Our weapons?'  
'Bring them with you, I've got a spare armoury locker you can stash them in. I am not a trusting person by nature, prove you are trustworthy and you will be allowed to carry them again. I'm half tempted to push the issue with whatever the hell you're wearing but I'm not sure on that one yet.' Emily warned, keeping her hands resting on her pistols.

Her words received an unusual reaction from the men. They seemed horrified by the thought of taking off their armour. Their reasons were unclear but there was no mistaking their discomfort. It was almost as though they were afraid to remove it but Emily had a feeling there was more to this than a simple reluctance or concern about removing their armour.  
'Alright, keep the helmets off and I'll let the rest slide. I'm not sure how my security system will go against that armour but I have no doubt that a headshot is still fatal if you cross the line and step beyond what I'm allowing you.' she conceded, noticing a change in the men as soon as she gave ground. 'Hmmm, now that's interesting.' she muttered, filing that little detail away for a later time.  
'Emily, as clones we don't have a lot of personal possessions. The most important possessions a brother can have are their weapon and armour. Taking away either is an insult, but to take both, you will certainly push my brothers' away.' the unarmoured clone guided, stopping beside her but just far enough that she felt no threat. 'There is one other thing that is important to each brother, a name. When we are created, we're just numbers. Through brotherhood we get names. Sometimes names are numbers but there's nothing wrong with that. All my brothers know me as 99, a damaged clone but a brother none the less.'  
'It's not just that. Without their armour, I don't think I'd be able to tell them apart.' Emily replied, curiosity stirred by the man at her side. '99, I'll remember that one easily. You're different from them, the same at heart but physically harmed.'  
'I'm a bad batcher. Something went wrong when I was created, the rest of my batch came out as perfect as all the others. Most bad batchers are euthanatized as soon as the cloners realised there was a problem but somehow I was allowed to live and wound up working as a cleaner in the facility.' he explained, looking over towards his brothers as they finished relocating their scattered weapons. 'I was one of the first, I watched every single one of these men grow through their training and make a real difference in the wider galaxy. I'm so proud of each and every one of them. If you need any more information on the brothers, I'm happy to help.'  
'I have no doubt I'll need some help, 99. Thanks for the offer.' Emily grinned, reaching out to lightly touch his shoulder. 'It's nice to know I've got one of you on side.'  
'We're ready to go Emily.' Gree called, the group slipping into a fairly standard four man rank.  
'This way guys.' she directed, turning and heading for the stairs.

#~#~^~#~#

Working to rebuild bridges after the armour insult, Emily played a hunch based on her understanding of soldiers. Leaving them to their own devices in the main living area under the sharp watch of her dogs, she made a quick run to 28 of her favourite takeaway joints, picking up a wide range of different tastes to see what her strange new guests liked.

Sending everything down in the dumbwaiter and taking the elevator down so the food didn't get cold, Emily had to laugh at the sight in the main living area. The clones had obviously smelt the food and were very interested but the growling, snapping dogs were keeping them back from the dumbwaiter until Emily was there.  
'Alright, take it easy boys. You'll get fed, everyone just settle down. Form an orderly line, I'll hand you some of the food. Take it over to the big table over there so we can all share the meal. It might not make sense right now but as I hand you the food, tell me your name. I want to get to know you all.' she directed, opening the dumbwaiter to flood the base with the mix of smells from a global range of food.

Seeming confused by her request, the men still did as she asked, lining up and trading their names for food and taking it over to the table. They surprised her in return though, waiting patiently for everything to be spread out over the table and for her to join them before tucking into the food. They showed remarkable manners, passing plates and cutlery and sharing out the food equally while still leaving some of everything for Emily to enjoy.  
'So what was with the name for food thing?' Hardcase asked, reaching for the pizza.  
'A memory aid. I knew it would be a challenge to remember all of you because you look so similar. By mentally combining a favourite food with your name and face, remembering so many fine men becomes easy.' Emily explained, reaching for the fries.  
'The armour isn't obvious enough?' Echo asked, lightly touching the handprint on his chestplate.  
'Give me time Echo. Eventually I'll learn your armour and the little quirks that make you all unique but for now, I've got to do the best I can to figure you guys out.' Emily shrugged, finding it easy to be surrounded by people again. She'd thought she was a lone wolf but apparently she was wrong.

Watching and learning, she began to understand the complexities of the clones and their lives. There was a complex pecking order among the group, everyone knew their place and never pushed for more than what they were given by those above. It was easy enough to pick the top men, their armour bore more scars, extra pieces and the paintwork was different, just as worn but a little more distinguishing that the others.  
'Something wrong Emily?' Tup asked, getting the hang of the chopsticks supplied with the Chinese food.  
'No, just thinking Tup. Planning for the night and working out where to house you all for the time being. We won't stay here, I already miss the sun on my face after just a couple of days down here. Tomorrow I will look at transport and take you to a secondary facility, we'll be safe there. For now though, the op centre will do.' she replied, carefully hiding her real thoughts.  
'We don't need much to be comfortable, Emily. We've all slept in worse places than this.' Chopper shrugged, looking around the table. 'Well, except maybe 99.'  
'This is about standard for my little corner of the facility. A thin mattress on the floor in one of the storage rooms. It's not much but its home.' 99 countered, seemingly unconcerned with his lot in life.  
'Screw that for a joke. You lot aren't sleeping on the hard concrete floor. I've got some emergency supplies stashed away, won't take long to organise some kind of soft bedding. That goes especially for you 99.' Emily retorted, shaking her head and resettling her elbows on the table.  
'Don't argue guys, there's no telling how long we'll be stuck here.' Fox warned, reaching for one of the Chinese takeaway containers. 'How do these things work?' he asked, holding up his chopsticks and looking around to see if anyone had the idea.  
'Yeah, chopsticks can be a pain to master. Here, I'll show you how it's done.' Emily grinned, finding another set on the table and breaking them apart.

All eyes were on her as she demonstrated the proper way to hold and use chopsticks, turning left and right so everyone could follow her movements and copy what she was doing. They seemed impressed with the way she could use them, deftly picking up bite sized morsels of meat and vegetables and even teaching them how to manage the rice without making a mess.  
'I have a feeling you're going to be doing a lot of instructing while we're here Emily.' Wolffe remarked, a soft smile on his face as he mimicked her hand.  
'Yeah, but something tells me I'll be learning off you as well.' Emily agreed, pushing off the table and coming around to rest her hand over Tup's gently, guiding him through the motions. 'that's it Tup, you've got it now.' she praised, removing her hand and looking around to check if anyone else needed more help before she went back to the meal.

It didn't take long for them to clean every last scrap of food from all the packaging, a not so subtle indication for Emily about just how much food these men could pack away. She had a feeling that there was a lot more she would learn about these men, each one unique and special for his own reasons. Bagging up the rubbish and tossing it down the chute to her buried incinerator, she smiled and plopped down on the couch to digest, watching the men settle wherever was comfortable for them.

#~#~^~#~#

Delving through all her supplies, Emily managed to find a few mattresses and other bedding supplies but she had no idea if it would be enough for everyone. Taking what was offered and finding a suitable room just off the main living area, they set out the mattresses and shoved them in close together before padding out the rest of the floor with the other bedding Emily had provided for them. It hardly looked comfortable but they seemed satisfied with the line of mattresses shoved up against the wall, a random collection of pillows and blankets tossed on top for warmth and comfort.

She'd only turned her back for a few minutes, digging through another of her storerooms to find them something else to wear but when she came back, she got yet another shock. Instead of a room full of men in full armour, she was confronted by a room full of men in tight black bodysuits, all except for 99. Forcing her mind back out of the gutter, she took a knee and dug around in the bag of clothes she'd pulled from her stockpiles. Coming up with a pair of tracksuit pants and a loose singlet, she moved through the group and offered them out to 99, wishing she had something better than these stained and torn clothes for him to sleep in.  
'It's not much, but it's the best I can offer at the moment.' she grinned, stunned by the gratitude in his eyes.  
'It's more than enough Emily, thank you.' he replied, accepting Echo's hand to help him stand.  
'The 'fresher is just down that corridor. Hardcase found it earlier.' Echo uttered, pointing to the other door out.  
'There's extra clothes in the bag there if anyone else wants something soft and well worn to sleep in tonight. It's not the best quality but it's warm and cosy.' Emily nodded, pushing to her full height. 'I'll be right back. Help yourselves to the clothes.' she added, covering a yawn and leaving them to get organised.

Gathering around the bag, the men were uncertain. No one had ever given them so much as a genuine thank you and now this woman from a galaxy so unlike their own, was giving them food, shelter and clothes.  
'Should we?' Cutup asked, looking around at his brothers.  
'Emily said we could.' Cody replied, crouching and opening the bag properly. The cloth was so much softer than their bodysuits, it felt nice against his fingertips and he could easily imagine how good it would feel against his body.

Counting out five sets, Cody turned and handed them to Wolffe with a faint grin, watching his brother hand out the soft clothes to his pack. Counting again, he pulled out eight sets and stepped back, motioning for his fellow 212th men to come and get their gifts. Gree was next to kneel beside the bag, handing clothes to Bly and Fox before taking a set for himself. Then Rex took his place, taking care of the 501st men in the room until there was just one set left for him.

Returning a few minutes later in her own sleepwear, Emily got a real sense of the hard lives these men lived. Sitting on their temporary beds, most of them were bare-chested, revealing even more scars and tattoos to her depthless gaze. 99 had traded his offered singlet for one of the long-sleeved shirts in the mix, hiding his disfigurement as much as he could. Chopper was also wearing long sleeves, head down and turned away from the door as if shamed by his own injuries and the scars left behind.  
'Uh, Emily…' Sinker paused, looking down at his hands uncertainly. 'I don't suppose, if it's not any trouble, if you've got anything else to eat. I'm still kinda hungry.' he continued, looking up at her slowly.  
'All that food and you're still hungry? I thought I could pack away the food but no way can I keep up with you guys.' Emily laughed, leaning against the wall comfortably. 'Yeah, I'll go see what's in the canned food storage lockers. I'm sure I can find something to tempt you guys.' she grinned, pushing off the wall and jogging out of sight.  
'Well at least some things haven't changed.' Wolffe smirked, reaching out to ruffle Sinker's hair.  
'I'm surprised it wasn't Hardcase asking, he's usually the first one looking for a feed.' Rex added, shuffling back to lean against the wall.  
'We warned him about insulting Emily.' Jesse replied, nudging their hyperactive brother lightly.  
'I was still thinking of asking. Sinker beat me to it, is all.' Hardcase shrugged, scratching his nuts quickly.  
'For Force sake, don't do that in front of Emily.' Fives hissed, reaching out to nudge Hardcase between the shoulders.  
'Yeah, definitely not something to do in the presence of a woman.' Fox agreed, reminded of one time he'd insulted a female Jedi by doing just that in his office and she'd seen.

#~#~^~#~#

Catching the last empty fruit tin and dropping it in the box by her feet, Emily smiled as the men settled down, adjusting their pillows and sorting out their blankets. Shifting, squirming and finally stretching out, everyone knew just how much space they had and made it work. Some of them had a little bit more space than others but as a group, it looked like they were all had about the same amount of space.

But her eyes were drawn to one in particular. While everyone else was bedding down for the night, Tup was fiddling with his belt. Coming up with a folding brush, he held it firmly between his teeth and reached up to tug at his hair, wincing when he pulled on the wrong thing. Both hands now and he got at the band keeping his hair up, a deft twist of his fingers and it was free, his dark locks falling around his face.

Realising that she was witnessing something special, Emily reached up and released the clip holding her hair up out of the way, quickly working free the two bands and securing them around her wrist as she shook out her hair and ran her fingers through it to work out the tangles. Securing the large clip to her waistband, she knew everyone was watching her, entranced by such a simple act. Even Tup was watching her, hands frozen half way to his head. Shaking off his stupor, Tup quickly brushed out his hair, smoothing out the kink where the band had really dug in hard.

One last check of his hair and Tup headed to bed, crawling in between Rex and Dogma, nudging his pillow and pulling his blanket up, just another face in the crowd again. Flicking her hair back over her shoulder, Emily smiled and twisted it back up into a loose bunch and clipped it back into place before grabbing the box of empty tins by her feet.  
'Sleep well guys, I'll see you all in the morning. And I'll make sure to put on the ultimate breakfast to see if I can fill you up. If you need me, I'll be down the end of the lit corridor. Goodnight and peaceful dreams for all.' Emily grinned, reaching for the light switch, her smile growing at the chorus of goodnights from her guests as she switched off the light.

Disposing of the rubbish and plunging the base into the peaceful semi-darkness of her off hours, she headed for her own bed, leaving on just enough lights to guide her guests to her private quarters if they needed her for whatever reason. Lifting their heads from their mats by her bed, Romus and Remus yawned and settled again, unconcerned by her appearance or the lights left on behind her.


	2. Wide Open Spaces

Checking her mirrors, Emily pulled her well loved Kenworth into the upper cargo area and jumped down, hoping to hell that this crazy plan of hers would work. She had to get the clones out of the underground facility and give them space to roam in the sunshine where no one could sneak a peek at her strange little band of guests.

Opening the trailer, she turned to the group standing around watching her. They all bore signs it was time to get out of the underground facility, tempers were flaring and personalities clashing that resulted in a few pretty serious brawls. This wasn't exactly the best way to transport the group to her second home but it would have to be enough. She didn't have any other options to move them all in one sweep and there was no way she was leaving any of them at the op centre without supervision.  
'This is hardly ideal guys, I'm doing the best I can with limited resources but with a little trust from you, we can all get out of this dark facility and out into the sunshine. I have a second facility, not too far from here where no one can interfere with us. You'll be free to explore a large property and just be who you are.' she coaxed, leaning lightly against the trailer.  
'What do you want from us?' Wolffe asked, eyeing the trailer suspiciously.  
'It's not going to be the most comfortable ride but the only way I can get you all out to the secondary facility is in this truck. This rig is well known in the area, no one really causes any trouble for me when this beast roars. I'll be as careful as I can on the road to get you all safely to our destination but I can't promise an easy trip.' Emily explained, tapping the door over her shoulder. 'I won't bullshit you guys, it's gonna be a rough trip for all of you. The trailer doesn't seal tight so you won't suffocate but it'll be dark, confining and probably pretty bumpy.'  
'We're soldiers Emily; we've handled the worst and survived. Come on guys, it's time to get out of this hole.' Fives nodded, approaching and vaulting up into the trailer. 'unless you've got any arguments with getting some sunshine, Captain.' he added, reaching down to take Hevy's rotary weapon so he had a bit more space to jump up.  
'Nope, take it up the chain boys. Get me outta this cave.' Rex nodded, breaking into a jog and bounding up into the trailer, Echo reaching out to pull him in properly.  
'Go on boys, in you get.' Cody directed, following Rex up and in with one powerful heave.

Leaving the rest of the men to make their own way up, Emily smiled softly as she approached 99 and offered out her hand. Returning the smile as best he was able, 99 took her hand and followed her towards the trailer.  
'Hold on tight 99, I'll take care of you.' she uttered, releasing his hand and turning before sinking to one knee. 'Put your arms around my shoulders, it's okay. I won't let you fall, just hold on tight.'  
'I trust you, Emily.' 99 nodded, holding on tight to her shoulders as Emily wrapped one arm around his back and the other under his buttocks.  
'Okay, here we go. Lean into me and up you go.' Emily coaxed, holding tight and hoisting 99 off his feet.

Kneeling at the edge, Fives and Echo reached out to support 99, shifting to gently lift him from Emily's arms up and into the trailer safely.  
'Wow, you said you were strong Emily but I had no idea you were that strong.' Cody remarked, helping 99 to his feet.  
'Cody, you haven't seen anything yet.' Emily winked, stepping back and reaching for the nearest door. 'I'd suggest you guys sit down, you'll be safer the closer you get to the floor. Keep your weapons on safe and make sure that none of them can accidentally fire, I don't want any of the cargo in there with you damaged.' she added, swinging the door around and locking it closed.  
'Power packs out, let's not have any accidents.' Wolffe nodded, drawing his pistols and dropping out the power packs and securing them in his belt pouches as he sank down.  
'Be patient guys, I'll get you through as quickly as I can without endangering us or the other road users. If you need to talk to me, use this. Press the button on the side to talk to me, release it when you're done so I can reply.' Emily continued, handing Waxer a belt radio. 'See you on the other end boys.' she winked, closing the second door and locking up securely.

Left in the dark, the brothers could only wait and listen to the noise outside, wondering just what was going on. The noises were so strange, mechanical but not the sort of sounds they were used to hearing. The deep, throaty roar was particularly concerning; they had nothing to compare it against to bring any level of familiarity.  
'Is anyone else feeling a little unsure about this?' Boil asked, clicking on his helmet torch and aiming it up so no one had to look directly at their light source.  
'Emily's done right by us so far, we have to believe that she means us no harm.' Kix replied, hoping he was right to believe in Emily.  
'It's not like she had to take us in and give us everything that she has.' Boost shrugged, shifting a little. 'I really wish the Kaminiise had figured out comfortable armour. This is murder on my shebs.' he groused, trying to get comfortable.  
'Hey Emily, any idea how long we'll be in here?' Waxer asked, hoping he had the radio figured out properly.  
"Judging by this traffic, about an hour." Emily replied, her voice tinny and weak through the speaker. "Why? Are you guys uncomfortable already?"  
'This armour isn't designed for sitting around in, it digs in painfully.' Waxer explained, shifting to ease the discomfort.  
"I'll do my best to make the journey as quick as I can. I'm not sure how I'll go with this traffic." Emily sighed, regretting the choice to leave in the middle of the day.  
'We'll make it work Emily, don't worry.' Waxer nodded, putting the radio aside. 'Any suggestion Sirs?' he asked, looking to the command team for guidance.  
'Culets off, but keep them close to hand for a rapid replacement.' Bly suggested, managing to find enough space to stretch out on his side.  
'No, I think there's another option. If we're careful, we should be able to find enough space among the cargo containers in here to get comfortable without removing armour.' Cody countered, squeezing in between two crates and stretching out on his front. 'It's a tight fit but it's more comfortable than sitting.'

Staying on their hands and knees, the brothers scattered through the trailer, squeezing into any spaces that they could in order to get comfortable. It wasn't exactly an elegant solution but it was good enough for them so long as the journey wasn't going to take too long.

#~#~^~#~#

Hearing the same clicking, grinding noise as when Emily had shut them in, the brothers lifted their heads and looked around for a moment before squirming out of their places and heading for the open doors.  
'How was the trip back here?' she asked, reaching out to take 99 from Hevy and Droidbait. 'I tried to be as gentle as I could but traffic was bad.'  
'Once we figured out the most comfortable positions, it wasn't so bad. I think we're all going to have a few bruises though, some of the bumps were harsh.' Wolffe shrugged, his dismount less than smooth but that was only to be expected.  
'Yeah, looks like a few bruises are already starting to show.' Emily noted, eyes drawn to the red mark on Spitter's forehead.  
'Tell me we don't have to do that again. Once was more than enough.' Chopper groaned, his landing less than graceful but he kept his feet.  
'Nope, we're home now. No more travelling around in discomfort, everything we need is right here.' Emily replied, setting 99 down safely and heading towards the doors. 'Come on, I'm pretty sure I can rustle up something to eat for everyone.'

Emerging from the shed, the clones couldn't believe their eyes. Nothing they'd seen before could compare with this place. Green grass and tall trees as far as the eye could see, strange animals in the distance and a collection of buildings made from steel, stone and timber. A sharp whistle and a flick of the hand from Emily and her dogs bounded off, released from their duties to run and play on the grass.  
'We're really safe out here Emily?' Jester asked, looking around in wonder at this beautiful, peaceful place.  
'Absolutely safe Jester. No one else will come out here and the boundaries are so far away that no one will be able to see anything from the outside of the property.' Emily confirmed, leading the group around the house and inside via the sliding door.  
'It's so peaceful out here.' Dogma remarked, awed by the natural sounds all around them. 'I've never known of a place unaffected by war in one way or another.'  
'On this planet, the wars are a long way from here. There is still fighting but it's been generations since a war was fought on American soil.' Emily replied, heading for the kitchen. 'I organised proper beds and a few other things as well, to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Up the stairs there, the doors are marked with the intended occupants. If I got something wrong, let me know and we'll do a shuffle to put it right.' she added, pointing the way before turning her attention to feeding the group again.

#~#~^~#~#

Finding his room on the third floor and smiling at who else was sharing the room, Rex set his helmet on the table just inside the door and looked around for a moment. Three beds were lined up against the left hand wall, a long window running along above the beds. Up against the right wall, three lockers stood ready for the occupants, even though the clones didn't have much in the way of possessions to put in the lockers.

Slipping past Rex, Cody approached one of the lockers and opened the door, jaw dropping at what was inside. The few other things Emily had mentioned turned out to be more clothes, a literal rainbow all neatly folded and waiting for them. Right down the bottom extra footwear lined up and by the looks of it, just their size.

Peering over Cody's shoulder, Gree nodded and headed for the far locker, opening it and running bare fingers over the clothes waiting for them.  
'Do you suppose this means Emily doesn't want us wearing our armour?' he asked, finding a shirt in just his colour and holding it up.  
'I think she's more offering a chance to relax and be more like the people that call this world home. Remember, she said armour like ours is unheard of on this world.' Rex shrugged, working out of his armour and piling it on his bed for the moment.  
'So this is her way of helping us adapt to her society, I can live with that. Better to blend in until we figure out how to get home.' Cody agreed, packing his armour into his locker and finding something more appropriate to wear.

#~#~^~#~#

Standing on the back deck, Emily watched the clones adjust to life outside, smiling softly as they explored the gardens and grounds, sticking in their smaller groups and learning what they could without asking her guidance on everything. It really was fascinating to watch their naïve interest in the basic things, their curiosity piqued by things she took for granted.

Punch and Jester were stretched out under one of the oak trees near the house, gazing up into the branches and trying to find the birds filling the air with their sweet songs. Sketch was settled near them, his focus drawn to the object in his lap. Gus was face down on the grass just near them, perfectly happy to soak up the sun and touch the grass. Chopper lay half in the shade, half lit by sun, a peaceful little grin on his face as he watched the clouds drift by slowly.

Jesse and Kix were under another oak tree, Remus stretched out between them and soaking up the attention they were lavishing on his back. Hardcase suddenly appeared above them, hanging upside down from a fairly thick tree branch. He seemed genuinely happy to act like a kid, bounding around on a perpetual sugar rush.

Further out, beyond the trees shading the house, the Wolfpack were running around together, playing some kind of a tag game. Comet was chasing, bare feet digging into the grass as he tried to grab his brothers. Skipping away from him, Boost turned quickly and flipped clear of Sinker, taunting Comet to catch them. Dropping under Comet's reaching arm, Spitter scrambled away with a very unusual technique, ass up in the air as he ran on all fours, fingers and toes propelling him with good speed. Hardly conventional but it worked for him.

Sitting quietly, shoulder-to-shoulder, Boil and Waxer sat on a bench in one of the garden beds, surrounded by the sweet smells of the flowers Emily tended when she wasn't working. A light breeze stirred the rainbow around them, sprinkling their jeans with fallen petals. They both smiled, then Waxer laughed as the breeze dumped a sprinkling of petals in Boil's hair, the pale pink standing out against the black locks. Boil just smiled again, reaching out to pluck a delicate bloom from where it had landed on Waxer's ear.

Hair unbound and flying about his face, Tup laughed long and loud as Dogma wrestled him to the ground, the pair tumbling across the grass happily. Coming to a stop near one of the garden beds, Dogma sat up and reached out to gently pluck a flower from one of the bushes, glancing over towards Emily to check if he was in trouble for daring to do such a thing. When she gave no reaction to his behaviour, he offered the flower to Tup. Flushing faintly, Tup accepted the soft white bloom and sat up, cradling the delicate flower in both hands.

Occupied with a ball that Emily had given them to enjoy, Droidbait and Cutup were quite happy to play a game of kick-around on the grass beyond the oaks. Light on their feet and quick off the mark, they almost seemed to dance around the ball, making up their own rules. Relaxed under the nearest oak to where their brothers were playing, Echo and Fives dozed peacefully in the shade, Echo leaning up against the trunk of the tree and Fives curled up on the grass beside him. Watching over all them, Hevy relaxed in the tree, tucked comfortably between the branches as he kept a sharp eye on all four of his Squad-brothers.

Putting aside his officer mantle for a while, Rex pressed his cheek to the grass and watched tiny creatures picking their way over the blades of green. The way they moved reminded him of the big AT-TE's, six legs in harmony to propel them forward steadily. These little creatures were just as steadfast, gripping onto the grass and hanging upside down at times, just like the tanks could take on vertical cliffs and other such obstacles.

Surreptitiously keeping an eye on the men, Cody swayed gently on the swing hung under one of the trees, letting his mind drift to wherever it wanted as he enjoyed the peace and quiet. At his side, Romus gnawed contentedly on an old bone, Cody's fingers lightly brushing through his fur as he moved.

Freed from the responsibilities of command, Gree stripped off his shirt and stretched out in the sun, eyes closing as he soaked up the warmth and proudly displayed his unit tattoo. Curling over his back and shoulders, graceful curves of green contrasted magnificently against the deep bronze of his skin, marking him as someone special.

Soaking up the sweet smells from another flower bed, Bly's attention was caught by a beautiful little thing as it fluttered over and landed on his upraised knee, brilliant red and yellow wings twitching slowly at the creature settled. Staying perfectly still, Bly watched the creature closely, fascinated by the colours on its wings and the way it showed no fear of him, despite the fact he could easily kill the creature.

Half curled up beside a low hedge, Wolffe carefully flicked through the book Emily had pressed into his hands earlier. There was nothing in his understanding to compare with a book, feeling the paper between his fingers as he turned them so carefully. He hadn't really understood why she'd let him borrow the book but as he got into the contents, he started to realise. The spelling was different but here was a species he could identify with - the wolves of Earth.

Feeling oddly energised by this place, Fox kicked his shoes off and tucked his socks inside them safely before taking off across the grass, getting up enough speed before breaking into a rhythm of somersaults and flips, relishing the sensation of being totally out of control as the world spun around him. Landing lightly at the end of the sequence, he paused a moment before throwing his arms back and arching back into a handstand. He didn't stay there for long though, shoulders bunching and heaving off into another fast pattern.

Slowly making his way across the grass, 99 approached Emily and hoped he wasn't making a mistake with something this bold. Reaching up to brush her hand where it rested on the railing, he mustered his best smile and produced a small bouquet of flowers from behind his back. Tears in her eyes, Emily returned the smile and accepted the flowers, fingers brushing his hand softly.  
'That's so sweet of you 99, thank you.' she praised, reaching out to touch his cheek. 'I'll go put them in water right away so they stay beautiful.' she added, turning and heading inside.

Nodding slowly, 99 eased down onto the nearest chair, exhausted after walking around the garden and picking the prettiest flowers he could see. He knew that without natural energy and grace of his perfect brothers, he had to find his own way to catch Emily's attention and make sure he wasn't forgotten. If that meant bringing her flowers, he'd do it every day if needed.


	3. Understanding

Settling in her favourite armchair, Emily wasn't sure what to think when the clones filed in and gathered around her, all eyes on her as they got comfortable.  
'Emily, you've been so good to us these last few weeks. We've talked about it and we've decided that it's time we told you the truth about a few things.' Bly started, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.  
'Okay, not liking the sound of this so far but go on, I'm listening.' Emily nodded, wondering just what they hadn't told her truthfully.

Swapping looks, no one seemed to want to speak first, everyone timid and withdrawn as though they expected to be punished for daring to speak their minds. Eventually, Wolffe cleared his throat and sat up a little more, drawing Emily's attention.  
'You already know we're clones, we've never made any secret of that. But when it comes to our training and all that part, we've been hiding a lot from you. It's nothing personal, we just weren't sure how you'd take some of the information.' he explained, unable to meet her eyes.  
'You've treated us like equals from the very start; you're the only non-brother to do that. Everyone else sees us as lesser beings, unworthy of respect or even dignity at times. But you gave us both, and so much more. It's time we repaid that kindness and let you in a little more.' Fox added, managing to hold her gaze for a moment before looking away.

Again with the heavy silence, the men all nervous about revealing the truth to Emily. They wanted to but it was a big risk for them to take, trusting her with their stories.  
'We might look like men, strong and ready for battle, but the reality is so very different.' Jesse sighed, glancing at Kix for a moment. 'This will probably sound crazy but in truth, I'm only 12 standard years old, biologically.' he confessed, managing to hold Emily's gaze.  
'What? How is that possible? You look so much older.' Emily gaped, staring at the group in disbelief and shock.  
'Genetic tampering. The original genetic donor that created the Army of clones was a lone wolf Bounty Hunter, a man named Jango Fett. But certain modifications had to be made so we were a suitable army. We don't know for sure how they did it, but they changed a lot of things. They altered us, took away our free will, made us submissive to those in power, dimmed our desire to think freely, dulled our emotions and turned us into docile men, stripping away anything that interfered with the Kaminoan idea of a perfect soldier.' Kix spat, the words leaving a foul taste in his mouth. 'There there's the growth acceleration. Ten years to produce a battle ready batch, from a single cell to a combat ready soldier.'

Sagging back in her chair, Emily couldn't believe what she was hearing. These men, battle hardened veterans all of them, were just kids really. Just ten years old and considered ready for war, it was a sickening thought. Boys on the inside, men on the outside, scarred and tormented by violence before they even understood life.  
'So you're all only 12?' she asked, still trying to wrap her mind around this insanity.  
'No, I'm 13 now.' Rex replied, hugging his abdomen subconsciously. 'Cody, Gree, Wolffe, Bly and Fox were all in my batch as well.'  
'We're only 11.' Fives added, indicating his Squad-brothers. 'We all came out together; our decanting jars were all on the same rack.'  
'Same with us, we came out two seasons before Domino.' Sketch nodded, reaching out to squeeze Jester's shoulder gently.  
'Comet and I are 12 and two seasons.' Spitter uttered, peeking over Wolffe's shoulder.  
'We're only a season older than our pack-mates.' Boost confirmed, leaning against Wolffe's side.  
'We're 12 and two seasons, we've been friends since we first became aware of others.' Waxer sighed, leaning against Boil lightly.  
'I'm 11 and three seasons, Tup's only 10 and 1 season.' Dogma offered, intensely protective of young Tup.  
'13 and two seasons, I was part of a test batch.' 99 supplied, grateful to have survived as long as he had. 'I still don't know why the Kaminoans kept me around.'

Tears in her eyes, Emily hung her head and tried to regain her focus and control, knowing there had to be more that these poor young men wanted to tell her. They deserved so much better than what they'd been given for a life, they deserved to grow up and actually live.  
'The growth acceleration isn't stopped either, we're still aging at twice the normal rate. So even if we survive the war, we're dead men. No matter what we do, we'll never have what so many take for granted - a long, natural life.' Kix continued, shaking with barely contained pain and frustration at their situation.  
'There's so much we don't know. Even as physical children, we were never shown any love or tenderness. The little that we do know about physical comfort we've learned from each other. Our genetic father abandoned us as soon as he'd donated the material; he wanted nothing more to do with us.' Chopper added, such sorrow in his mismatched eyes.  
'What's it like to have a real family? To actually have parents?' Tup asked, a real tear sliding over the tattoo under his eye. 'To know you're actually someone special?'

Hanging her head, Emily tried to come up with answers to Tup's questioning. He had a right to know, they all did but she was just one person. She couldn't possibly explain family to them, not in a way that they would be happy with. They were crying out for knowledge of normal life, asking for anyone to tell them what it was like to be just like everyone else and she was the only one who could really explain it to them.  
'Words can never really fully encompass what family is all about, its so many different things all rolled together. But perhaps I can show you what family is, if you're willing.' she offered, shifting again and watching her young charges.  
'Please Emily, show us.' Bly implored, reaching out to lightly cradle Tup's head in one hand.  
'Alright boys.' Emily nodded, looking over at the flowers 99 had given her earlier. 'For starters, you need to let go of your training. Put it aside, you don't need to think like soldiers anymore. Just let it slip away, stop thinking about tactics and combat, kids don't have to worry about those sorts of things.' she coaxed, hoping they trusted her enough to let it all go.

#~#~^~#~#

Listening to her charges as they played outside, Emily sighed and went back to her paperwork, wishing she could be out there with them but she had to get these forms filled out before someone started probing around in her finances.  
'Emily?' Sketch called softly, waiting for her in the doorway.  
'Come in Sketch. What brings you back inside?' Emily grinned, scooting away from her desk and turning to him.  
'I wanted to show you something, if you've got the time.' he explained, rubbing his neck as he approached her.  
'Of course I've got the time.' Emily nodded, patting her knee lightly. 'Come and sit down, let me see.' she coaxed, glad to see they were trying to go back to their stolen childhood.

Crossing the office and settling on Emily's lap, Sketch was still amazed by how right it felt to sit like this, Emily's warm arms wrapped around his waist as he clicked his sketchpad on and pulled up his latest piece. It wasn't one of his best, he was more capable with drawing his brothers but he'd wanted to try his hand at something different so had tried to replicate their new home on the page.  
'Oh wow, this is really good Sketch. I had no idea you were an artist.' Emily praised, admiring the way he'd captured the new spirit of the house, his brothers running around the house and other buildings.  
'You really think it's good?' he asked, eyes blowing wide at the praise.  
'It's beautiful, Sketch.' Emily confirmed, reaching up to stroke his cheek. 'I just wish I could put it up on the wall for everyone to see.'  
'I don't have my converter to print this onto flimsi.' Sketch sighed, leaning into Emily's strength a little more.  
'Maybe you don't need it.' Emily mused, keeping him close as she reached for one of the other tables, stretching fingers managing to grab a pencil and a scrap bit of paper.

Accepting the items, Sketch seemed puzzled for a moment before Emily gently plucked the pencil from his fingers and drew a simple flower in the corner. Eyes widening in wonder, Sketch accepted the pencil back and turned his electronic sketchpad over so he could lean on it. Looking at Emily's simple flower, he smiled and replicated the image into a stunningly simple border before getting up and moving to sit on the floor just near Emily. Reaching out to ruffle his hair, Emily smiled and went back to her paperwork, glancing over at him occasionally.

#~#~^~#~#

Up in one of the trees, Tup found his balance on a thick branch and reached for another one, looking up to see where Dogma was perched and determined to reach him. Grabbing hold, he pulled up and managed to get one arm over the branch but just as he was kicking off, his right foot slipped. Struggling to hold onto the unfamiliar bark, he slipped and fell, dropping out of the tree and bouncing off another branch.  
'Tup!' Dogma cried, starting down the tree as Tup screamed in pain.

Curled up on the grass, Tup clutched his left ankle in both hands, white hot agony roaring through his body with every breath.  
'Someone go get Emily!' Gree barked, kneeling beside Tup and reaching out to lightly stroke his shoulder. 'Easy vod'ika, just breathe.'  
'It hurts.' Tup uttered, tears streaming down his cheeks.  
'Udesiir, we'll take care of you vod'ika.' Dogma soothed, dropping down beside Tup. 'Boost just went to get Emily.'  
'Coming through!' Kix snapped, shoving Rex out of the way and back from Tup before dropping to the ground beside Tup. 'Udesii vod'ika, let me see.'  
'Nayc, hurts too much.' Tup choked, tucking his wounded ankle closer and trying not to scream when it throbbed painfully.  
'Easy vod'ika, easy. Shhh, I'm here little one.' Rex soothed, kneeling and gently cupping Tup's head in his hand. 'Just breathe, help is on the way.'

Shouldering her way through the group, Emily knelt and gently ran her fingers over his cheek, offering what comfort she could. Dark eyes cracking open slowly, Tup looked up at her with a mixture of pain and sorrow, desperate for help.  
'I know it hurts Tup, but I need to have a look. I'll be gentle, it's okay.' she coaxed, lightly touching his left knee. 'Please, let me help you Tup.'  
'gedet'ye, it hurts.' Tup nodded, loosening his fingers slowly as Emily moved to take Kix's place.  
'That's it, I'll take care of you.' Emily coaxed, supporting his leg on her knees as she gingerly unlaced his shoe and carefully prised it off. 'I'm sorry, I know this hurts.' she soothed, tossing the shoe aside as Tup's pained cry broke off into agonised whimpers.

Already able to feel the swelling, Emily didn't try to peel Tup's sock off, she just drew hew knife and cut it off, humming softly to sooth and calm her patient as she worked. Tossing the trashed sock aside, she returned her knife to her belt and turned her full attention to his injury. The softest touch had Tup trying to pull away from her, sending fresh waves of burning agony up his leg. Calming him again, Emily shifted one hand to grip his calf, keeping him from pulling away.  
'Well, I don't think you broke anything. I'd say you just sprained it badly.' she nodded, gently releasing his foot. 'Come on, we'll get you inside and strap this up.' she grinned, waving everyone else back so she had space to move.  
'Don't say it Kix. This is Emily's world, not ours. Let her work.' Rex uttered, drawing the younger medic away. 'Put aside your duties Kix, we're in Emily's hands now.'

So tender with her injured charge, Emily reached out to support his left leg as she guided him onto his back then gently sat him up and wrapped her right arm around his back, left hand slipping under his knees. He whimpered, sore ankle throbbing painfully as he held on around Emily's shoulders. Barely troubled by his weight, Emily pushed to her feet and soothed him with soft words against his forehead as she headed for the back door, throwing a look over her shoulder that Kix and Dogma both interpreted as follow.

Sending Kix to fetch her medkit from the small gym and instructing Dogma to go dig out an icepack from the back freezer, Emily carried Tup into the living room and set him down on the couch tenderly, grabbing one of the cushions and tucking it under his swollen ankle for extra support. Kix was first back, opening the kit and setting it on the table for Emily before stepping back and watching what she was doing.

Working on an angle so Kix could see exactly what she was doing, Emily had a feeling he'd never been taught something as simple as RICE for dealing with injuries like this. Given the technological advances of their home galaxy, Emily wasn't surprised that techniques like this were unfamiliar, they probably had some kind of fancy tech to do the job.  
'What's this technique called?' Kix asked, stepping closer and crouching, watching closely as Emily firmly wrapped Tup's ankle.  
'It's called RICE, it's a very well known treatment plan for ankle sprains. Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. Quick and simple, it's taught as basic first aid to anyone who wants to learn.' Emily replied, packing another cushion under Tup's foot and accepting the icepack from Dogma. 'How's that feeling now Tup?' she asked, shaping the icepack and gently settling it into place.  
'A little better but I can't really feel the cold.' Tup noted, coming up on his elbows.  
'Give it a few minutes, it takes time for the cold to seep through the bandage.' Emily grinned, checking the bandage wasn't too tight or loose.  
'It's really that simple?' Kix asked, accepting the invitation to closely examine Emily's work.  
'Now it's a matter of time. Think about the technique. The ice has been positioned, compression bandage applied and I've elevated the foot. What's missing?' Emily coached, wanting Kix to learn that sometimes technology couldn't beat the old ways.  
'Ice compression and elevation. Now it's all about rest.' Kix nodded, storing the technique away in his medical mind for the next time it was needed.  
'I might make an earth based medic out of you yet, Kix.' Emily chuckled, opening the big storage box in the corner of the living room and pulling out a spare pillow. 'I'll take another look at it before dinner but you might very well be spending the night on the couch Tup.' she added, lending her strength until Tup was settled comfortably.

#~#~^~#~#

Bustling around in the kitchen, preparing the evening meal, Emily smiled when Fives sidled up beside her, watching as she tended to the burgers in the pan. Stepping back from the cook top, she reached out and guided him close. Gasping when Emily moulded to his back, her chin on his shoulder, Fives wasn't exactly sure what she was doing but he trusted her not to push him beyond his abilities.  
'Here, take this.' she guided, pressing the egg flip into his hand. 'Gently slide it under each burger and lift just enough to peek underneath. When it's nice and golden brown underneath, slide this right underneath and put them on the tray here.' she continued, teaching him with one that she knew was almost ready.  
'Okay, I think I've got it buir.' he nodded, checking on some of the others as Emily slipped away from his back.

Turning back to the rest of the preparation, Emily chuckled at the sight of Boost, Waxer and Gree waiting at the bench for her to teach them something. Nodding slowly, she waved Boost over first, setting up a chopping board and knife then digging out the salad ingredients for the burgers. Pressing in against Boost's back gently, Emily peered over his shoulder and softly guided his hands, teaching him to tuck his fingers in so he didn't hurt himself as he sliced up the lettuce in readiness.

Setting up another station, Emily drew Gree into the kitchen as well, letting him watch as she sharpened the right knife for the job. Accepting the blade, Gree tried to relax as Emily pressed up against him, teaching from his perspective, rather than ask him to turn her lessons around from her angle to his. Soft hands against his scarred knuckles, graceful curves against his hard edges and a soft voice in his ear, it was a struggle for Gree to rein in his hormones but somehow he managed, focusing on the buns that had to be cut and buttered.

Leaving the kitchen in the capable hands of the trio, Emily padded over to the new china cabinet, Waxer padding along at her side. Emily had figured out quickly that keeping the clones in peak condition would be expensive, the first week of their time on Earth had told her that much. But on the up side, she didn't have a lot to spend her money on, she'd wound down her global operations a few years back after a nasty crash had almost claimed her life.

Shaking her head to clear away such morbid thoughts, Emily opened the china cupboard and lifted down the first stack of plates, handing them to Waxer. Smile growing, he turned to the massive dining table and started setting the plates out, positioning them neatly on the placemats at each chair. His attention to detail surprised Emily. Every placemat was positioned three fingers from the edge of the table, each plate was turned so the design on the plates was facing the right way, the cutlery spaced exactly two fingers away from the edges of the placemats and one finger apart and the glasses were a palm away from the top edges. It was cute, the way he tried to make the table perfect every time he was responsible for setting the table.

Attention caught by a flash of red, Emily turned and caught Fox reaching for two crystal vases, fitting in among his brothers in the kitchen as he filled the crystal vessels and carried them over to the table just as Jester came in as well, several roses in a basket on his arm. Humbled by their attempts to make her proud, Emily let them go ahead with their plan, pretending not to notice their efforts as she turned her attention back to the meal.

Waiting for Emily to become totally engrossed in the meal preparation, Fox and Jester approached the table, filling the vases with beautiful roses of every colour but holding back the most perfect red rose in the garden. This was carefully de-thorned by hand, leaving a series of little cuts in Fox's thumb but it hardly mattered to him. Once he was certain the rose wasn't going to hurt Emily's softer fingers, he set it at her place, angling it across the plate so Emily couldn't possibly miss it when she sat down. From under the leaves left in the basket, Jester pulled out a simple, handmade card and slipped it under the rose, hoping Emily appreciated his naïve attempt. He wasn't an artist like Sketch but he gave it his best shot.

Joining them at the table, Hevy added his own gift to the display. It wasn't as beautiful as the rose or as sweet as the card but he'd spent all afternoon weaving the long grasses from the woodlands into a bracelet kind of thing. It couldn't really be considered beautiful but he'd tried so hard to make it worthy of Emily.  
'Alright boys, come inside and wash up for dinner!' Emily called, leaving the sliding door open as she went back to the kitchen to finish serving everything up. Running inside, the brothers surprised her by heading upstairs instead of just washing up in the laundry like they always did. Bringing up the rear of the pack, Dogma left her stunned as he carried Tup on his back and disappeared upstairs. Setting the meal out on the table, she noticed the gifts left at her place but didn't touch them, planning to wait until everyone was seated before reacting to the gifts.

It was strange that the guys were taking so long to come back down. With four bathrooms available, it shouldn't really take long for them to start filing back downstairs but for reasons known only to them, they were being slow tonight.  
'Come on guys, dinner is getting cold!' she insisted, poking her head up the stairs.  
'Be right down buir.' Hardcase replied, again with that strange word Fives had used earlier.

Then she heard them filing back downstairs but something wasn't quite right. Instead of a wild stampede like most mealtimes, the rhythm of feet on the stairs was more organised and orderly. Whatever they were planning, they were going all out to make their point. Gone were their dirty jeans and random assortment of tops, replaced with the dress pants and neat black button down shirts. Suddenly she felt so very underdressed and briefly considered running upstairs to change but the food wasn't going to wait forever.

Pulling out her chair, Wolffe turned to Emily and offered out his hand. Flushing faintly, Emily took his hand and allowed him to seat her at her usual spot at the head of the table. Only once she was settled did the men sit, all eyes on her as she gazed at the gifts left at her place. Picking up the woven grass band, she searched the table for whoever had the biggest smile.  
'Did you make this Hevy?' she asked, admiring innocent gift from a man-child.  
'I did buir. Do you like it?' he nodded, lit up from the inside as Emily touched the bracelet.  
'I adore it Hevy, thank you. You're very clever to make something like this.' she praised, putting it down gently and curling her fingers around the rose stem. 'Now, who left this here?' she asked, inhaling the sweet scent.  
'It was me, buir. I even took all the thorns off so you wouldn't scratch your hands.' Fox grinned, using that word again.  
'It's lovely Fox, thank you.' Emily chuckled, reaching out and placing the rose in the nearest vase. 'And a sweet homemade card, I really am spoilt today.' she grinned, picking it up and looking at the childish hearts and flowers on it before opening it.  
'Can we know what it reads, buir?' now 99 was in on the use of that word, whatever it meant.

Turning the card around, Emily held it up for everyone to see. Right in the middle, in big blue letters was the word family. Around that, brightening the page with a rainbow of colour were names, everyone sitting at the table listed a part of the family.  
'I think I know who made this.' she added, turning the card around again. 'This is your creation, isn't it Jester?'  
'It is buir.' he nodded, surprised she'd picked him so easily. 'How did you know?'  
'The little J here in the bottom corner.' Emily replied, pointing out the tiny little letter just in the bottom corner, barely noticeable among the grass and flowers decorating the border. 'I'll treasure it always.'  
'I'm glad you like it buir.' Jester nodded, flushing faintly at the praise and adoration from Emily.  
'Eat now, before it gets any colder.' Emily insisted, putting the card aside and planning on asking about that word after they'd eaten.

#~#~^~#~#

With most of the clones tucked up in their beds, Emily caught 99 coming out of the bathroom and beckoned him over to her room. If anyone was likely to know what that word meant, it was him. As the eldest of the brothers, he'd know what his younger brothers had been saying about her in a language she didn't know.  
'That word that everyone had been using, what's it mean?' she asked, going for casual but she knew she missed.  
'Buir? It means mother.' 99 replied, leaning against the wall beside her. 'The language is Mandalorian, the final legacy of our genetic father. He taught the first batches the language and we continued to teach the younger brothers after his death. The language was his way of ensuring we never forgot our heritage.'  
'Mother…I had no idea. What's the word for son? I feel I should know how to respond correctly.' Emily flushed, humbled by the meaning and what it meant.  
'Ad is son, ade is the plural form. Vod means brother, the plural vode. Ori'vod is big brother, vod'ika is the flip side, little brother.' 99 offered, glad to see Emily taking more of an interest in their heritage.  
'Ad, ade, vod, vode, ori'vod and vod'ika.' Emily repeated, rolling the strange words around in her mouth. 'Ad, ade, vod, vode, ori'vod and vod'ika.'  
'You've got it buir.' 99 nodded, the words not quite perfect but they got the meaning across.  
'There was another word, gedet…gah, I can't remember how Tup pronounced it.' Emily sighed, shaking her head slowly. 'Gete…gede…nope, I can't get it.'  
'gedet'ye?' 99 supplied, picking apart her mangled attempts carefully.  
'That's the one.' Emily nodded, recognising the strange word. 'What's it mean?'  
'Please. He was begging for help from you, our surrogate buir.' 99 translated, only too happy to help Emily with their language. 'If you'd like, I can write out a language guide. It won't be complete, I never got the chance to learn the full language but I'll give you what I can.'  
'I'd like that 99 and I'm sure your vode would appreciate the effort on my part.' Emily replied, reaching out to cup his cheek. 'Goodnight ad, I'll see you in the morning.' she added, leaning in to brush a soft kiss across his forehead.  
'Goodnight buir.' 99 returned the smile, stepping in to hug Emily for a moment before drawing away and heading slowly towards his bed.


	4. Family

As the days turned into weeks and then months, seasons drifting by slowly, the strange family gradually defined their roles, settling into an easy rhythm to get them through the days. Chores were shared out, sibling rivalries started to appear and they were all rediscovering the childhood that had been stolen from them. Attentive to the needs of her family, Emily provided them with everything they wanted, encouraging them to chase their dreams and learn whatever caught their fancy. Music, art, science, whatever they wanted to learn and understand, she gave them the chance.

Their random acts of love changed too, becoming more varied as they learned more about the world around them and all the wonders it contained. The fridge was covered with naïve paintings from young minds, sweet cards for special days and photos of wonderful moments. It always made them smile when their artwork was picked to be displayed but even when one of their works was taken down and tucked away safely in the drawer, they were still happy because they knew Emily appreciated their attempts.

But it was after dark when the boys truly showed how far they'd slipped back to their true age and even further. Once everyone was showered and dressed in their pyjamas, they gathered in the living room. Sitting around Emily's well loved armchair, they listened intently as she read them all a bedtime story, aiming to give them the best childhood she could while they were together. Their favourite stories were fairytales about handsome princes and brave knights, but sometimes, just for something different, she would read books adapted from movies designed for children, opening their minds to places and situations they'd never thought of before. When the story was over, she'd tuck them into their beds and kiss them goodnight before getting on with her own things for a few hours before going to bed.

It always amazed Emily when she got to see her world through their eyes. The little things she took for granted were shown with such wonder and delight by these men forced to grow up too fast. Innocent games became magical adventures, old cartoons were fun again and life took on a brand new meaning for her as she saw it through their eyes. It was the little things that mattered, like the day she'd brought home several kittens and let them loose in the house. The delight in the eyes of her boys was absolutely unmistakeable as they got to know what it was to really have a pet to care for.

Some nights, she was gifted with a glimpse into their most private of issues. It didn't happen every night and it wasn't always the same one that came to her each time but when it happened, it was a chance for her to prove just how much she cared. She'd be woken by a gentle hand on her shoulder, a sad and shocked face peering at her in the darkness. Lifting the blankets, Emily would welcome whoever it was into her bed, holding them close to chase away whatever bad dreams had torn them from their peaceful slumber.

#~#~^~#~#

Checking Gus' helmet was done up properly and everything was adjusted properly for maximum support and comfort, Emily smiled and waited for Gus to go and fetch his new bicycle. They all had their own bikes now, another loving gift from Emily but they had been timid about riding such backwards technology to what they were used to. But with gentle coaxing from Emily and a few added parts to help keep their balance, they'd taken to their bikes happily.

Coming back with his bike, Gus swung up onto the saddle and tried to relax as Emily held him steady and braced against his weight.  
'You remember what to do?' she asked, stroking his back lightly.  
'I remember, buir.' he nodded, fingers tightening on the handlebars.  
'Alright then, here we go.' Emily grinned, giving him a strong push.

Watching with no small amount of pride, Emily beamed as Gus took off down the driveway, wobbling but recovering and staying upright. This was his first time on an unmodified bike and he was starting to see why so many attempts ended with gravel rash and bruises. But when he went to turn and come back to her side, he hit a deep patch of gravel and went down hard, landing heavily and trying to catch his breath.  
'Gus!' Emily cried, breaking into a flat sprint from a standing start.

Skidding to a stop beside him, Emily crouched and untangled the bike before Gus rolled over and sat up slowly.  
'You alright ad?' she asked, checking him over quickly.  
'A little shaken, buir, but I'm okay.' he nodded, looking at his grazed palms.  
'Come on, we'll put your bike back in the shed and get you cleaned up.' Emily grinned, helping him up before grabbing his bike and heading back towards the house. 'You were doing really good until that little accident. You've gotten a lot better since you started riding.' she praised, holding him close as they walked.  
'I'm trying really hard buir, it's harder than it looks.' Gus sighed, enjoying the one-on-one time.  
'With practise, you'll get better. When I was young, I had quite a few accidents before I mastered the bicycle.' Emily chuckled, thinking about the small scars on her knee from some of her childhood accidents.

#~#~^~#~#

Watching Boost closely, Jester adjusted his grip on the bat in his hands and waited, refusing to be distracted. Winding up for his throw, Boost let rip with a powerful shot, sending the well loved ball racing towards his brother. Reacting on instinct, Jester let rip with the bat, sending the ball flying back over Boost's head. Dropping the bat, he took off running towards the bases as Cody and Gree both went for the ball.

Jumping up onto Gree's shoulders, Cody caught the ball and sent it rocketing back towards the main body of the game. Running hard, Jester dropped and skidded into second base, narrowly avoiding the ball coming in from Cody. Stepping back, Waxer caught the ball and winced, the impact really quite heavy. Shaking his hand, he threw the ball back to Boost and helped Jester to his feet.

Next up to the plate, Fives got the feel for the weight and locked his gaze on Boost, waiting for the pitch. Sure enough, Boost let off another fast ball, putting a touch of spin on it in an attempt to curl it past Fives. It didn't work though, Fives stepped up and belted it right back down the centre of the field. Boost very nearly wore it in the head, his improved reflexes allowing him to duck the missile.

Watching the ball, Echo and Fox both went for the catch as Fives released the bat and took off running, Jester and Comet also started running, trying to get to home base before the ball came back towards them. But the strangest thing was, the ball had been totally forgotten by the outfield players.

Focused on the ball, Echo and Fox had wound up in a pile on the ground, the now bloodied baseball sitting just near them. Slowly untangling, Echo dabbed at his nose and hissed as he yanked his fingers back to see them coated in blood. Worming out from under Echo's legs, Fox sat up and examined his face quickly.  
'You'd better go see buir. I don't think it's broken but I can't be sure.' Fox suggested, rubbing his stomach where Echo had caught him with a flying knee.  
'Doesn't feel broken.' Echo replied, accepting the helping hand to gain his feet.  
'Are you both alright?' Kix asked, running over to them.  
'Few bumps and bruises and a bloody nose but otherwise, we're okay.' Fox nodded, bracing Echo against his shoulder when he sagged. 'Lean on me, vod.'  
'Thanks ori'vod. I don't feel so good.' Echo uttered, slinging his free arm around Kix's shoulders.

Shaking her head in wonder, Emily knew she'd been right to bring out her medkit when she came to watch the game. Getting out of her folding chair, she held it steady as Kix and Fox carried Echo over and gently eased him down to settle under her care.  
'Shit, Echo. I'm so sorry about that.' Fives offered, taking a knee beside his brother. 'I didn't mean to get you in the head.'  
'I gotta say Fives, a baseball to the face might be taking sibling rivalry a little too far.' Emily chuckled, reaching for her water bottle and coaxing Echo to tip his head back. 'But don't you worry Echo, you'll be as handsome as ever in a few days.'  
'I didn't mean to do it, buir. It just happened that way.' Fives replied, hoping Echo would forgive him for the accident. 'Forgive me, vod.'  
'Nothing to forgive, Fives. You couldn't know it'd go that way.' Echo replied, his voice off thanks to his still bleeding nose. 'Be glad Fox didn't wear it, you know.'  
'Yeah, I know Echo.' Fives nodded, squeezing his wrist lightly.

Cleaning up his face, Emily ever so gently touched his nose, checking if it was just a bloody nose, a dislocation or broken. The way he was behaving, the latter was more likely but she wanted to be sure. If it was a break, she'd have to take him to hospital and that would raise questions. With these men, it was likely that there would be more serious injuries that would require hospitalisation and Emily really didn't want to deal with any awkward questions.  
'Just relax Echo, you've done a little more damage than suspected. It's not broken but it's definitely dislocated. I can put it back but it's going to hurt like hell. It'll be easier in the long run though, either I do it here and now or I take you to hospital and we're likely to be there for hours.' Emily explained, guiding him to tip his head forward again and gently pinching his nose to help control the bleeding.

Turning the warning over in his mind, Echo locked eyes with his brother, still kneeling beside him. They didn't need to speak, Fives understood what he wanted to say.  
'We do it here, buir. Save the hospital for a situation you can't handle.' Fives nodded, shifting to kneel in front of Echo, reaching up to grasp his wrists and pin them to the chair. 'It's alright vod, I've got you. Just relax, I'll stay right here.'  
'Close your eyes ad, I'll take care of you. It's alright now, I'm here ad.' Emily soothed, stroking his cheek as she came around to stand over Fives.  
'Make it better, buir.' Echo uttered, giving over to Emily's soft hands completely.

Shuffling their positions until it felt right, Emily reached out again, soft and tender with Echo as she moulded her hands over his nose, remembering all the times she'd done this in the past. Life in the Marines and then as a Bounty Hunter had given her plenty of chances to perfect her technique, sometimes on her own nose, sometimes on other people.  
'Here we go Echo.' she warned, closing her eyes and focusing on what she could feel as she worked his nose back into place. She dimly heard a pained grunt from below but thought little of it until, with a grinding pop felt more than heard, she straightened his nose back into place.

Stepping back and looking down, she fought to keep the grin off her face as she crouched and gently helped Fives into a more comfortable position beside Echo. It didn't take much for her to figure out what had happened. Echo had lashed out in pain and kicked his best friend and brother in the groin.  
'Well, I guess this makes you equal.' she smirked, pulling out a no-freeze icepack and breaking the capsule inside. 'Here, this will help with the pain.'  
'Vor'e buir.' Fives groaned, accepting the icepack and glaring up at Echo. 'Not nice, vod.'  
'You try getting your nose reset like that, it's no fun.' Echo panted, accepting another gauze pad to catch the blood.  
'You're going to feel even worse later Echo. You're already showing a bit of a black eye as well.' Emily offered, pressing another no-freeze icepack into his hand for the swelling around his right eye. 'Get some rest ade, I'm here.' she soothed, sitting between them, one hand on Fives' shoulder and the other on Echo's knee.

#~#~^~#~#

Their first winter as a family left Emily in shock for entirely the wrong reason. At first it was just Hevy with a touch of the sniffles, an easy tend for Emily. She confined him to bed, brought his meals and took such good care of him. Whatever he needed, she was there to provide it, no matter the hour or how strange the request. His closest brothers didn't like being kicked out of their room but Emily didn't want them sick as well. They slept where they could, pillows and blankets on the floor of four separate rooms.

Within days though, a simple case of the sniffles had exploded into a full on case of the flu running rampant through the house. Her boys were all out of action, too weak to get out of bed and enjoy the world around them. Offering what comfort and support she could, Emily knew she had to be strong for her boys, never letting it show just how tired she was. Digging deep for strength and courage, she kept pounding up and down the stairs, tending to her boys in turn and still managing to produce good, nourishing food to help them through the illness.

She could only hope that her own immunity would keep her safe from the illness tearing through her family, destroying the happiness that had filled her home. She missed the joyful laughter and innocent curiosity that always surrounded her, the house felt so cold and empty without the noise of her sons to fill the void.

Hearing a thump from upstairs, she turned and raced up the stairs again, fairly sure she knew where the noise had come from. Swinging off the stairs at the first landing, she opened the first door on her left and looked around for a moment. Darting into the room, she crouched and gently helped Punch to his feet, guiding him back into bed and tucking him in safely. Hunching up under the blankets, Punch only gave Emily seconds to react before he threw up. Emily ended up wearing most of it, her timing out.  
'Buir…' he croaked, horrified that he'd done that.  
'Shh, it's alright ad. It'll wash off, no big deal.' Emily soothed, cleaning one hand on her butt and reaching out to stroke his hair. 'Go back to sleep, there's a bucket beside your bed if you need to throw up again.'  
'M'kay buir.' Punch nodded faintly, pressing back into her hand softly.

Waiting until he was fast asleep again, Emily stood and checked on everyone else in the room before heading upstairs to wash off and change before swinging back into action. Checking each room to make sure her boys were sleeping peacefully, she headed back down to the ground floor and stirred the soup on the stove before taking a seat at the kitchen bench and hanging her head.  
'Keep it together Emily, you can do this. It's no different than all the other times you've cared for people, you can get through this. Don't think of them as your sons, think of them as patients that need your help.' she uttered, trying to bolster her strength to get back to work with her boys.

#~#~^~#~#

A week after the first symptoms started appearing, Hevy came downstairs and found a very sweet sight on the couch. There was Emily, curled up under a warm blanket as she caught up on some much needed sleep. Padding over quietly, he knelt beside her and reached out to touch her cheek lightly, just to make sure she was alright. Groaning softly, Emily cracked one eye open and gazed blearily at Hevy, exhausted and sore after tending to her boys for the week.  
'What's wrong Hevy?' she asked, starting to sit up slowly.  
'Nothing, buir. I'm feeling better today.' he replied, shifting to sit beside her as she settled back down. 'You don't look so good though, buir.'  
'I'm just tired Hevy, I'll be okay.' Emily grinned, snuggling down and covering a yawn.  
'Get some rest buir, I'll stay here. You've been taking such good care of us, it's time we took care of you.' Hevy soothed, shifting into a more comfortably position and gently squeezing Emily's hand between his own.  
'You're such a good boy Hevy.' Emily mumbled, smiling softly as she drifted off to sleep.  
'Anything for family, buir.' Hevy promised, perfectly happy to sit and watch Emily sleep.


	5. Leaps & Bounds

A year since the clones arrived in Emily's life and things were going great for the strange little family. The men were still exploring and expanding, constantly improving on their knowledge and enjoying the things they'd missed when they were physical children. Every day brought new experiences still, broadening their horizons and proving that they were so much more than originally thought. Talent bloomed in each of them, nurtured by Emily's praise and love as it grew through them all.

Replacing their training with emotion and feelings, the arts came out in all of them. Some turned to drawing, others music and a few learned to dance, their hearts leading the way. Science was also accepted quite well, eyes turning to the sky as they learned about the stars and planets in this new galaxy. 

But their favourite lessons were always when Emily would pull on her camouflage and head for the woodlands. Every weekend, Emily passed on her military knowledge, teaching them all she knew about war. No one knew for sure if her techniques would be useful if the clones found the way back to their galaxy but they absorbed the knowledge like sponges, desperate for anything new to learn.

Their hunger for knowledge never got in the way of play time though. They still spent hours running around and practising new skills, showing just how fast them grasped new concepts and mastered skills when given the chance to really have a go. They had all mastered their bicycles and now challenged each other to improve further with races and chase games on two wheels.

Bedtime had been pushed further back and innocent stories of childhood read by Emily replaced by tales of their friends in their home galaxy. Each night dug new stories out of their memories, filling Emily's mind with tales of the Jedi, alien races, hundreds of different worlds and the enemies her sons fought. The most priceless times though, were when someone would come down with a piece of their armour or a weapon, letting Emily examine it as stories were told that linked to whatever item had been offered.

#~#~^~#~#

Perched in one of the trees that made up her woodland training ground, Emily practically disappeared amongst the foliage. The only hint she was around was the occasional glint of sunlight off the barrel of her paintball gun. Her shapely figure and tanned skin were completely hidden, making her part of the tree.

Down on the ground, her sons had the task of finding her before she picked them off. They'd been studying hard, learning Emily's techniques and working to master camouflage. Dressed in suitable fatigues for the terrain, armed with paintball guns and scanning the woods carefully, they were determined to prove to Emily that they could do this.

Treading lightly through the undergrowth, Jesse led Hardcase and Kix on a standard patrol path, making sure to protect the only medic on the field. Suddenly Kix went down, a big purple splatter across his facemask. Dropping to the ground, Kix played along with the rules of the game, sprawling in the soft leaf litter and releasing his weapon.  
'Shit! Where'd that come from?' Hardcase asked, pressing up against another tree just near Kix's position. 'Where did that shot come from?'  
'I don't know. I didn't see anything.' Jesse shot back, scrambling for cover and scanning the area for Emily's perch. 'Shit, we're sitting ducks out here.' he yelped diving back as a shot splattered across the tree behind his left shoulder.  
'We need a plan.' Hardcase insisted, hugging the ground and trying to reach Jesse's location.  
'I've got an idea.' Jesse nodded, sinking to the ground and tapping his wrist mic. 'Bly, do you copy? Boost, respond.'  
"Go ahead Jesse." Bly responded; somewhere off to the left of their position.  
"What's the situation Jesse?" Boost added, off to the right of their location.  
'Kix is down, headshot from the east. We're still taking fire over here.' Jesse briefed, flattening against the ground as another round whizzed overhead. 'We could really use some help.'  
"Sit tight Jesse, I'll bring what's left of the Wolfpack to assist." Boost offered, his words sending a chill down Jesse's back.  
"How many have you lost over there?" Bly asked, his questioned picking at Boost's word choice.  
"Wolffe and Sinker are both down, quick fire double-headshot dropped them about five minutes ago." Boost reported, a little shaken by what had happened.  
'Bly, what's left of your team?' Jesse asked, freezing when a splat and then a thump came over the comms. 'Bly?'  
"Sorry Jesse, Bly just took one in the head. There's only two of us left in this group." Waxer offered, a little shaken by the shot out of nowhere.  
'It's okay Waxer, we'll make do with what we've got over this way.' Jesse replied, glancing back at Kix before waving for Hardcase to follow him as they ran for a new angle. 'Don't worry about us Boost, we'll make this work. Focus on your own track.'  
"Copy that Jesse." Boost confirmed, somewhere in the crazy maze of trees.  
'Jesse, what's the plan?' Hardcase asked, chasing his brother through the woods.  
'She's sniping officers and medics, just like she taught us. We have to become a bigger threat than the officers.' Jesse replied, running hard in the opposite direction to the purple fire.

#~#~^~#~#

They'd been at it for hours, weaving through the trees and watching their brothers' drop. Now it was down to Emily and four brothers. Hunkered down behind a dirt mound, a boulder and two trees, they were trying to work out a way to catch Emily before they went down as well. The sun was going down, they were running out of time to end the game.  
'We need a plan.' Jester uttered, pressing closer to the boulder.  
'I'm open to suggestions.' Boost replied, daring to poke his head out. Another shot rang out, blanking out his facemask with purple.  
'She knows where we are. We have to move.' Droidbait warned, shuffling around the tree a little more so he wasn't an easy target.  
'Cover me, I've got a plan.' Tup insisted, rising up from behind the dirt mound and running deeper into the woods.  
'What's he up to now?' Droidbait asked, popping up and opening fire over Tup's head.  
'We'll find out when he's done. For now, we follow him. He's the only one with a solid plan.' Jester shrugged, taking off after Tup and risking a headshot to see the younger man through.

Weaving among the trees, finding cover wherever he could, Tup knew he was in a dangerous position but he wasn't too concerned. Even if he went down, at least he could show his remaining brothers the way to get Emily. Sighting down his paintball gun, he searched for the tell tale signs of a human presence, using the setting sun to help him locate her. Then he saw it.

Sighting on the flash, he opened fire on Emily's revealed location, peppering her with blue. Letting out a yelp, Emily dropped her weapon and emerged from the leaves, well splattered with blue paint. Keeping his aim on her, Tup couldn't wipe the smile off his face as she climbed down and turned to face her captor, hands above her head. Relaxed, calm and totally in charge of the situation, Tup made her turn around and get down on her knees before he bound her hands firmly behind her back.  
'I don't believe it. Tup actually caught her.' Jester gasped, staring in awe at Tup's catch. 'Well done vod.'  
'It was easy, once I started thinking more like Emily.' Tup shrugged, so proud to have been the one to catch her.  
'Game over!' Droidbait called, voice ringing through the trees.

Slowly the brothers started gathering in the small clearing, amazed when they saw Tup standing there with Emily, the victorious hero against her incredible sniping abilities.  
'Well I'll be damned vod'ika. Nice job.' Rex praised, clapping him on the shoulder.  
'How'd you do it Tup?' Fives asked, weapon slung over his shoulder casually.  
'I followed the angle of her shot on Boost. With that line, I searched for any signs of someone trying to disguise their location. I figured that a smart sniper with a good hiding spot wouldn't move but the leaves did and I got a glimpse of the weapon. Soon as I saw it, I let rip.' Tup grinned, hauling Emily to the feet.  
'I gotta hand it to ya, Tup. I didn't think I'd get caught by you.' Emily grinned, no shame in being Tup's "prisoner" for the walk back home.

#~#~^~#~#

Getting comfortable on his bed, Gus held his treasure chest on his lap, fingers tracing over the sparkling decorations covering the cardboard box. Lifting the lid off and setting it aside, he took the time to admire the things he'd collected. Cradling each item in his hands, he smiled at the memories and spread them out on the bed.

Interesting pebbles from walks in the woods and down by the creek, all different shapes and colourations. Dried leaves carefully pressed, mounted on card and labelled in Emily's curled script. Feathers of the rainbow, big ones and small, each one tagged with the species it came from. In a smaller box, fragments of eggshells found in the spring, a piece of paper listing each one and the species tucked in beside them. Nuts and seedpods in small plastic bags, identified by Emily and stored as memories of fun and exploration. 

Colourful ribbons, curled around empty spools, a reminder of their first Christmas as a family. Neatly folded pieces of bright wrapping paper, carefully removed from a treasured present from Emily. A small velvet covered gift box, empty now but once it contained his first ever Christmas present. Now the real gift hung around his neck on a leather thong, the small silver heart engraved with his name identifying him as someone special.

Three small photo albums lined the bottom of the box, dark leather covers protecting so many wonderful memories inside. Hunting, fishing, camping and exploring, few of the special times missed Emily's attention. Some of the photos were his own, testing out the camera he'd been given for his birthday. The camera was in his locker, tucked safely inside his bucket where it was safe from harm.

Satisfied that all his treasures were still there, Gus repacked his treasures, adding in the few new items he'd found during the paintball game. To anyone else, these small things meant nothing but to him, and to his brothers here on the farm, each one was a wonderful time they could touch and remember. They hadn't really understood the idea of tangible memories until Emily showed them a heart shaped medal hanging on a purple ribbon and told them the full story of her injuries received in combat, each story brought back to the front of her mind just by holding the medal in her hands. Now they understood and were starting to see just how amazing it could be to hold a trinket and remember exactly where it was found and what it meant.


	6. Learning To Let Go

'Buir, have you seen Tinkerbelle? I can't find her anywhere.' Droidbait asked, leaning over the back of the couch.  
'Uh…no, I can't say I've seen her lately ad.' Emily replied, lifting her gaze from the newspaper as she thought about the little kitten Droidbait had taken as his own. 'Have you asked your ade if they've seen her?'  
'I've asked some of them. I'll keep looking, buir.' Droidbait sighed, pushing off the couch and heading back outside to keep searching for his furry friend.

White as snow with a black spot on her forehead and little black socks, Tinkerbelle was the smallest of the kittens in the house. When Emily had brought them all home, every other kitten had jumped out of the box and started making new friends but not little Tinkerbelle. She burrowed deeper into the corner of the box in fear, trying to hide until Droidbait coaxed her out and gently cradled her to his chest, stroking behind her ears. At first little Tinkerbelle resisted the contact but eventually she relaxed and curled up against him, purring softly.

From that moment on, Tinkerbelle had little to do with anyone else. She would spend every night curled up on his pillow, tucked under Droidbait's chin, nestled against his shoulder and purring the night away. During the day, whenever Droidbait was sitting around, she'd be draped over his shoulder, soft fur brushing his neck with her every breath. Even when he was tearing around with his brothers, dear little Tinkerbelle was always close by, settled wherever she was most content and could see Droidbait.

#~#~^~#~#

Two days later, Emily lost her patience for a moment, escorting him up to his room and tucking him into bed before dosing him up with a strong sedative. He hadn't slept since Tinkerbelle went missing and was showing signs of personal neglect. Hopefully after his induced nap, he'd be in a more helpful mindset.

Heading back downstairs, she heard hushed whispers in the kitchen and froze, straining her ears to pick up what was being said.  
'We have to tell him. It's the right thing to do, Rex.'  
'It'll kill him. You know how much he loved Tinkerbelle.'  
'We all know, Gree. He's going to take this news so hard.'  
'First we tell buir, she'll know what to do.'  
'Cody's right, she'll know how to soften the blow.'  
'Where is she? The sooner we do this, the better…I hope.'

Swallowing nervously, Emily emerged from the stairwell to find Rex, Gree and Cody in the kitchen. Rex was bare-chested, his shirt cradled in one arm. They all looked up when she approached, matching looks of horror, shock and confusion in their gazes.  
'What is it, ner ade?' she asked, gaze falling to the bundle in Rex's hold.  
'We were out in the woods, exploring and we found her.' Gree replied, peeling off his own shirt and spreading it out on the bench.  
'We weren't sure what else to do buir.' Cody added, padding out the nest shape on the bench.  
'You always have the answers, buir. What do we do now?' Rex asked, setting the bundle down and pushing the nest towards Emily.

Unfolding the pale blue shirt, Emily's hands flew to her mouth, eyes blowing wide at the grizzly discovery. Sweet little Tinkerbelle, Droidbait's precious friend, was dead. By the looks of things, she hadn't been dead long, not even a day most likely, but she was in bad shape. Reaching out again, stroking the soft fur and trying not to cry, Emily examined the fragile body carefully, trying to figure out why she hadn't come home.  
'So that's why you didn't come home.' she uttered, finding a severe break in both hind legs.  
'What now, buir?' Gree asked, watching the way Emily gently lifted the dead cat and turned her over to continue the examination.  
'Say nothing of this just yet. Go grab a clean shirt each then go outside and play. Don't say anything about this to anyone, they'll find out when the time is right.' Emily instructed, gently wrapping the body again. 'I'll handle this.'  
'Elek buir.' they replied, heading for the stairs.  
'And be quiet while you're up there. I just got Droidbait to sleep.' Emily added, picking up the bundle and heading for the basement.

This was going to be hard enough on young Droidbait without Tinkerbelle looking as pitiful as she did right now. Emily had heard the stories of death from her sons and knew they weren't strangers to the shadowy fingers of death but it was different when a pet died. There was no telling how Droidbait would react to this, he'd already seen so much pain and suffering but Tinkerbelle was special.

Settling the bundle down tenderly on the bench, Emily got to work on preparing a suitable final farewell for such a precious little angel. Finding a wooden box that was just the right size, Emily lined it with foam packing then tucked a brand new blue shirt over the top, smoothing it out to make a sweet little cushion for her. Then she gently picked Tinkerbelle up, carrying her over to the sink to wash the blood from her fur.

#~#~^~#~#

They buried her in the rose garden, safe under the bench where she could rest undisturbed for eternity. They needed no guidance, working together to send the sweet little cat off with all the respect and dignity they could muster. Some of the guys said some nice words, sharing their favourite memories of Tinkerbelle. Standing beside her grave, Droidbait just looked lost, her pale pink collar buckled around his wrist where he could always keep her memory. He didn't seem to know what to do; he just stood there, looking down at the box in the hole and touching the collar, giving away nothing in his thoughts.

Standing at the window, Emily watched them cover Tinkerbelle's resting place and position a small headstone that Kix had made before setting the bench back in place to protect her. One by one, they paused to offer Droidbait a smile and a kind word before walking away, until it was only Droidbait left beside her grave, still looking lost. Eventually he walked away as well, but rather than join in with the games, he headed inside.

Leaving the window, Emily padded over to draw him into a loving hug, holding him close and rubbing his back softly. He returned the embrace willingly, sagging into her strength as he tried to acknowledge the new feeling in his gut. It was heavy and painful, a rock in his gut that made life hard to bear.  
'I feel strange, buir. Like there's a rock in my stomach.' he uttered, drawing away slowly.  
'That's grief, ner ad. It's okay, I expected this to happen.' Emily replied, guiding him to the couch and getting comfortable.  
'I don't like feeling this way.' Droidbait confessed, crumpling beside Emily and hanging his head. 'How do I make it stop?'  
'By letting go. You're all bottled up, forced to ignore the grief welling up in your gut. Forget about your training and what you've been taught and just let it go.' Emily guided, leaning back and guiding Droidbait to lean on her shoulder. 'Remember all the good times and the grief will come. Think about all the joy she brought to your life and let the tears come. Grief is a good thing; it honours the fallen and heals the living.'

Snuggling in close to Emily's side, Droidbait let his mind drift, remembering all the little things Tinkerbelle would do that made him smile. The stone in his gut got bigger as he thought about her, crushing him from the inside. He heard the soft words of comfort Emily was whispering against his hair but he could also hear Tinkerbelle purring under his ear. He could almost feel her soft fur against his skin, her claws digging in just enough for her to keep her balance over his shoulder. He thought about the way she would curl up in his helmet if he left his locker open.

Caught up in his memories, he didn't notice the first tears falling but he did note that the rock in his gut was shrinking slowly. Sagging into the warmth of Emily's loving arms, Droidbait finally understood what grief really meant. It felt so right to curl up with someone he cared about and cry for a life cut short. Emily just held him all the tighter, stroking his back and crying silently as it all came flooding out.

Eventually he calmed down, sniffling as he lifted his head from Emily's shoulder and withdrew one hand to wipe his eyes. Catching his wrist, Emily wiped his face softly and smiled, searching for the spark of renewed hope and life.  
'Will it ever stop hurting, buir?' he asked, one last tear falling.  
'In time, it will get easier but you'll always have a scar on your heart to mark where Tinkerbelle touched your life.' Emily replied, thoughts drifting to the scars of loss on her heart.  
'I'll never forget her, buir.' he promised, lifting his wrist and gazing at the soft pink collar.  
'I know you won't. But I wouldn't suggest you keep wearing this, it might come off while you're playing with your brothers. Go put it in your treasure chest then go outside and play, take your mind of her for a while. Grief is good but dwelling on the losses blinds us to the beauty around.' Emily suggested, helping Droidbait find the balance.  
'Elek buir.' Droidbait grinned, getting up and heading for the stairs.


	7. Changing Scenarios

Eighteen months into their time as a family and the relationship between Emily and the clones had evolved further. It was still a parent/children relationship but instead of childish games and innocent fun, Emily trained her sons in the art of war, passing on everything she knew to help them survive the war they had been thrown into at such tender ages. But while Emily trained with the others, she also kept 99's mind busy, providing him with simple strength building exercises and physical therapy to help him stand as tall as he could.

Today, it was hand-to-hand training, everyone gathered on the back lawn for a long physical session. Striped down to gym shorts and singlets, the men were all perfectly calm, standing in a circle as Emily explained what she wanted from them.  
'Alright boys, this is a simple little challenge to see just how far you've come with your hand-to-hand work over the last few months. I know just how fast you learn so I'm expecting some fairly spectacular results. You know all my tricks, now it's time for you to put them into action in your own way. I don't want to see any standard combos, I want to see your own personalities coming out in the way you fight.' she challenged, keeping her other little trick in reserve. 'Gree and Kix, you two first. Winner gets to pick his own opponent.' she added, moving back to take her place in the circle as Gree and Kix stepped forward.

They weren't common sparring partners, their individual styles so very different so this was bound to be an interesting slugfest. Gree was a bruiser, standing his ground and putting his full strength behind every strike. Kix was lighter on his feet, constantly on the move and startlingly fast with his fists and feet. It would be interesting to see who would come out on top.

Setting their stances, the pair circled slowly, searching out weaknesses and studying each other. Refusing to play Gree's game, Kix stayed out of reach, teasing him until Gree stepped up and swung a heavy left hook. Dropping under the strike, Kix rolled onto his right shoulder and lashed out with both feet, catching Gree in the stomach and sending him staggering back. Completing the roll and bouncing to his feet, Kix made the mistake of getting into Gree's range and was punished with an extended leg to the back. Stumbling forward, Kix turned the attempt to knock him down into a forward flip, planting his hands and kicking out again. Gree grabbed his ankles and pulled, sending Kix to the ground. Rolling over, Kix grabbed Gree around the ankles and dumped him on the ground, turning the sparring match into a wrestling match. Kix knew he wasn't strong enough to beat Gree down on the ground but that wasn't going to stop him from giving it a damn good try.

Straining against the arm wrapped around his neck, Kix suddenly hit on an idea and reached back, deft fingers finding a suitable pressure point and squeezing. Letting out a shocked little noise, Gree's world spun and he got a face full of grass, Kix perched on his back, one hand on the back of his neck, the other holding Gree's right wrist. Straining to get any leverage, Gree dug his knees into the ground and tried to pry his left hand from under Kix's knee but his younger brother just leant forward a little more, grinding his hand into the unforgiving dirt.  
'Alright, I yield!' Gree cried, muffled by the grass but Kix got the message and released the grip on his neck. 'I yield. You got me fair and square, vod.'  
'Never thought I'd get you, vod.' Kix smirked, rolling off Gree's back and standing. 'Nice to know that even you can be beaten.' he added, helping Gree to his feet.  
'Alright Kix, who will you take on next?' Emily asked, watching Gree limp for the sidelines, still numb from one of Kix's pressure point jabs.  
'Get in here Boost.' Kix challenged, confident with his choice.

#~#~^~#~#

By lunchtime, the ring had been whittled down to the last man standing. Everyone was a little surprised by who it was and what they'd witnessed but Cutup had managed to somehow put Rex and Boil in the dirt to score the last fight of the session. Battered and bruised and sore as hell, he had stepped up one more time, squaring off against the vicious skills Emily had shared with them over the last four months.

The fight had been absolutely brutal, neither willing to give an inch as they threw everything they had into the fight. Punching and blocking, kicking and dodging, Emily's tough street-fighter style up against Cutup's constant motion; the fight was too close to call. But in the end, experience won out and Cutup went down hard, a victim of Emily's secret weapon. She'd never shown them the heavy double-handed punch, but when they saw how easily it dropped Cutup to the ground, gasping for breath, they understood why. It was a very risky hit and unlikely to be effective against klankers.

There was no shame in losing to Emily though, she'd had a lot more years to master hand-to-hand and build on what she knew. Helping Cutup to his feet, Emily gave him a hug and ruffled his hair, proud of being the last man standing to face her.  
'So what's the plan for the afternoon session?' Dogma asked, happy with his tally of three wins before Wolffe knocked him on his ass.  
'One session is enough for today, ad. Besides, I promised 99 I'd do some aqua therapy with him when the fisticuffs was all said and done. I'm sure you can find something to do to keep you entertained.' Emily grinned, wiping the sweat from her face.  
'Buir, may I take Diablo out for a ride after lunch?' Hevy asked, weaving through the group to catch up with her.  
'Not on your own Hevy. Find someone else to go riding with and you may go.' Emily nodded, always making sure her boys stayed in pairs at least.  
'I'll go with you Hevy. Dancer hasn't been out of the stable for a while.' Boil offered, slinging his shirt over his shoulder. 'Unless you had someone else in mind.'  
'No, I just wanted to ride for a while. Your company would be great.' Hevy replied, looking back to Emily for permission.  
'Alright, you may both go riding after lunch. Just remember the rules and be safe.' Emily nodded, not really concerned about Boil and Hevy riding off on their own.  
'We will buir.' Boil promised, shooting Waxer an apologetic look before darting over to walk with Hevy so they could plan their ride.  
'Hey Waxer, we were gonna shoot some hoops after lunch if you wanna join us.' Kix offered, lightly brushing his split lip.  
'Thanks vode. Sounds like a good way to pass the time.' Waxer nodded, wondering if he'd be able to beat Hardcase this time.

#~#~^~#~#

Kicking slowly, Emily bobbed in the pool, one hand under 99's back as he stretched out his limbs, testing his body and learning just how much more movement he'd gained since Emily started working to help him. The combination of exercises she'd given him helped a lot, giving him back some mobility and boosting his flexibility to a point where previously difficult things became easy.

They both looked up when a strange sound filled the air, a sound unlike anything Emily had heard before. But 99 recognised it and nearly cried, he knew what that sound meant.  
'What the fuck is that thing?' Emily uttered, staring at the strange little ship heading their way.  
'It's a Low Altitude Assault Transport for infantry. Otherwise known as a LAAT/i or a Larty.' 99 replied, swallowing nervously. 'The Republic has found us buir.'  
'We all knew this day was coming 99. I don't think anyone wanted it to be this soon but it's here now.' Emily sighed, climbing out of the pool as the ship landed just beyond the trees. 'Go and alert the boys, they know the signals to watch for. I'll go meet our guests. Don't call them to the house, just let them know to pay attention to the signals.' she added, helping 99 out and picking up her towel.  
'Elek buir. Do you really need that?' 99 asked, noticing the rifle tucked under the pool chair.  
'I had a feeling that today was going to bring a nasty surprise so I took precautions. Hopefully I won't need to use it.' Emily shrugged, pulling out the rifle and heading to meet the gunship as 99 headed for the house to signal for the brothers to gather.

Sopping wet, hair plastered to her skin and wearing nothing but a black one-piece swimsuit and a faded grey towel, Emily hardly looked threatening but the way she held the borrowed rifle spoke of confidence in the use of such a weapon. Tup had been proud to teach her how to use and maintain their weapons, taking her through all four that were available and helping her understand their technology.

Striding through the trees, she raised her weapon and sighted on the freaky little group standing beside the ship, looking around in awe and wonder at her home. Eight intruders she could handle, she'd dealt with eight in an open fire situation like this before. But 99 had said the Republic and so she held off firing, wanting to see what they had to say. There was a chance, however slim, but maybe she wouldn't have to give up her family.  
'You are trespassing on my property! Identify yourselves before I start shooting!' she snapped, determined to protect her family.

The group under the wing of the ship turned to her, varying looks of surprise, shock and disbelief on their alien faces as they took in her appearance and the threateningly held DC-15 rifle. One of them, a green skinned male with things dangling from his head, lifted his hand and waved it, a look of confusion crossing his face when nothing happened.  
'I said identify yourselves!' Emily repeated, squeezing off a shot into the ground between the group and their ship. 'Next one is a kill shot!'  
'We mean you no harm.' the speaker was at least human, with reddish-brown hair and a full beard. 'We are looking for some friends of ours. Judging by that weapon in your hands, you know where they are.' he continued, hands in clear sight as he stepped forward.

Growling low in her throat, Emily put another shot into the ground, slicing it between the speakers' feet.  
'Identity yourselves! I grow tired of this game!' she demanded, aim swinging up to sight on a young green face. 'Names, not excuses! Or this one dies first!'  
'I am Obi-Wan Kenobi.' the speaker replied, finally realising that Emily wasn't messing around. 'These are several of my fellow Jedi. Aayla Secura, Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano, Master Luminara Unduli and her Padawan Barriss Offee, Master Kit Fisto and Master Plo Koon.' he continued, each one stepping forward as they were named.  
'We mean you no harm. We are trying to find several friends that have been missing for some time.' Koon added, watching Emily closely as he folded his hands in front of him.  
'Yeah, I know who you're looking for. Don't buy the friendship thing though, I've heard the stories from my boys about you lot. You want them, you're gonna have to prove I can trust you. Hand over the lightsabers.' Emily snarled, trying not to think about the stories she'd heard about the Jedi and how they treated her surrogate sons.

Clearly not happy about the order, the Jedi didn't move as Emily dropped her towel and spread it out on the ground at her feet. Lowering the weapon slightly, she stepped back and waited, wondering just who was willing to give up their weapon to reunite with her boys. But then Ahsoka stepped forward, dropping two hilts on the towel and turning to show she wasn't carrying any other weaponry before moving to the side. Then Fisto approached, putting his weapon down and showing he was clean. Gradually the rest of the group advanced as well, disarming and showing they were a non-threat to Emily and the clones.

Satisfied by their agreement, Emily took a knee and wrapped up the weapons, tucking the bundle under her arm and motioning group to head towards the house.  
'No funny business. You are intruders in my home, I have shot people for less.' she warned, lowering her rifle and following the group towards the house.  
'I told you this wouldn't be an easy mission.' Ahsoka remarked, looking up at Anakin.  
'No one likes a know-it-all Snips.' he replied, glancing back at Emily.  
'Seems like Gree was right. I can see you're uncomfortable so I'm guessing the Force don't exist here on Earth. That levels the playing field a bit I reckon.' Emily smirked, herding the Jedi inside and through to the living room. '99, where are you?'  
'Right here, buir.' 99 called back, his footsteps clearly audible against the hardwood floor.

Wrapped up in a warm towel, 99 hobbled in and looked up at Emily, waiting to see why she'd asked to see him. Smiling softly, Emily leant her rifle against the wall and handed him the towel wrapped bundle of lightsabers.  
'Take these up to my safe and secure them. But not in the towel, I might need that before we get this mess resolved.' she instructed, caressing his scalp tenderly.  
'Elek buir.' 99 grinned, limping away with their prize.  
'How dare you.' Skywalker growled, moving to stand.  
'Sit the fuck back down.' Emily snarled, rifle up and poking Anakin in the forehead before he was even halfway out of the chair. 'You're in my world now, the rules are different. You want to see the clones again, you're going to have to earn my trust first.' she warned, shoving Anakin back down and lowering her rifle again.  
'You have no right to keep them hostage.' Aayla insisted, watching Emily closely.  
'They are not hostages, they are free to come and go as they please. But this world is strange to them, they look to me for guidance when they don't understand. I keep them safe from harm and make sure no one else realises that there's something strange going on out here. Your arrival could very well have stuffed that up. I have little doubt that someone noticed that ship of yours coming down.' Emily corrected, sharp eyes missing nothing as she stood there. 'But I can deal with anyone who comes sniffing around. Won't be easy but it's doable.'  
'Is everyone in good health?' Luminara asked, stately and calm in one of the armchairs.  
'Everyone is fine, I'm taking good care of them. Three good meals a day, healthy snacks when they want, soft beds and plenty of space for them to roam, everything they could ask for is here for them.' Emily nodded, smiling when 99 came back with her computer chair and pushed it closer. 'vor'e 99. That's very kind of you.' she praised, taking a seat and getting comfortable before 99 draped a towel over her lap.  
'This is taking good care of the clones?' Kit asked, stunned by 99's behaviour. 'He's taking more care of you.'  
'I know I cannot go run and explore with my brothers so I stay at home and help Emily where I can. She's been helping me with my disabilities and problems, loosening up stiff joints and increasing my mobility and flexibility.' 99 explained, climbing up into Emily's lap and settling contentedly. 'I passed the message just like you asked, buir.'  
'Good boy, I knew I could count on you, ad.' Emily nodded, nuzzling his forehead for a moment.

The Jedi seemed shocked by her behaviour towards 99, the way she held and loved him as if he was perfect. Rocking slowly, Emily watched them watching her, lightly stroking 99's arm as he relaxed and enjoyed a few minutes of peace in her arms.  
'You go on about how you consider yourselves friends of the clones, but that's a lie. I know what life is like in the military. Generals do not make friends with lowly troopers. Hell, Generals don't make friends with Captains or Commanders either. Generals only care about impressing other Generals and looking good to their superiors.' she scoffed, glancing out the front window to make sure no one was skulking around.  
'That's not true, we do care about our clones.' Ahsoka shot back, horrified by the accusation that she didn't care about Rex and the 501st.  
'If you truly cared, there wouldn't be so many gaps in their understanding of life. Tell me Padawan Tano, how old are you?' Emily asked, tucking 99 closer to her chest.  
'I'll be 15 in a few months.' Ahsoka replied, wondering where this line of questioning was going.  
'So, stripping away all the falsehoods around the clones, you're only a couple of months older than Rex, Cody, Gree, Bly, Wolffe and Fox. Did you know that little detail Padawan?' Emily offered, cradling 99 as if he weighed nothing. 'Did you have any idea how young these men are?'  
'Of course I knew, we all know that the clones are only 10 when the first get sent to the battleground. But we're in the middle of a war, we don't have any choice.' Ahsoka replied, losing her patience for a moment.

Shaking her head slowly, Emily pushed down her own irritation and scooted over to grab a light blanket from the back of the second couch, tucking it around 99 gently. He shifted and whimpered in the back of his throat before settling again, exhausted after his therapy sessions.  
'There is always a choice. Okay, creating a clone Army might have been your only option to counter the Separatists but there have been many other choices made that were completely wrong and done for selfish reasons.' Emily allowed, smiling softly as she watching 99 sleep, safe in her arms and totally at peace.  
'Selfish reasons? What are you talking about? Every choice we've made, we've made for the Republic.' Obi-Wan asked, insulted by the assumptions being made.  
'Of course, it's always for the Republic.' Emily snorted, shaking her head. 'The Republic demands you steal the childhood of every man that fights for peace? The Republic insists that these good men are stripped of the keystones of humanity. Young men, thrown into a war they don't understand, following orders from people thy have no choice but to obey, no liberties with their own lives, no freedom to chase their dreams…it's slavery. In just this small group of 28 here with me, there are artists, musicians, dancers, writers and poets, their talents undiscovered because the Republic sees them only as soldiers, nothing more.' she continued, soothing 99 when he started to wake.  
'What exactly have you taught the clones that have been here with you for so long?' Koon asked, his deeper voice calming the tense situation down.  
'I have taught them so much, but most importantly, I have taught them how to be children. When the told me the truth of their ages, I was disgusted and horrified. It was easy to make the choice to take them back to their stolen childhoods and give them the lives they could have enjoyed, if the situation was different. They are not just men in my eyes, they are young boys pushed beyond what they should have to endure. I am sure you all heard 99 call me buir, but do any of you know what it means? Buir is not a word of this planet, it is their language and a great honour.' Emily sighed, cradling 99 gently as she stood. 'Be right back. Stay here and think about what I just said. If anyone leaves this room, you will be escorted off the property and never allowed to see the clones again.' she instructed, turning and heading for the stairs to put 99 to bed for a while.

#~#~^~#~#

Knowing that there was only one thing that would make the Jedi understand just how much the clones had changed since arriving, Emily ushered the group out onto the back deck and opened a small metal box on the wall. Reaching inside, she pulled out a flare gun and loaded it before raising her arm and launching the flare. It burned green, arching up over the house and exploding out in a dazzling ball of green sparkles.  
'Just be patient, they'll get here soon. They know the red signal is an emergency, drop everything and get here fast. Green is a standard call back, they'll take a little longer but you'll see just how happy they are here.' she explained, leaning back against the wall to wait.

It only took a few minutes for the first ones to arrive. Running over from the basketball court set up in one of the sheds, Jesse, Hardcase, Kix and Waxer were panting for breath, Waxer still clutching the ball as they came racing around the corner. They skidded to a stop at the sight of the Jedi, Waxer tossing the ball aside as they lined up. Cutup and Droidbait were next, tearing across the grass on their bikes until they spotted the Jedi. They tried for smooth dismounts but ended up crashing out and quickly untangled from their bikes before running to line up.

Next to arrive, Sketch and his Squad-brothers were covered in mud and weeds, having been playing down by the creek when the flare erupted. Rinsing off at the nearest tap, they finally noticed the Jedi and jumped to attention, rushing the cleanup and running to rank up, still splattered and streaked with the sticky black mud. Tearing around the other end of the house on their bikes, dripping wet and laughing like idiots, Tup and Dogma saw their guests and hustled to join the ranks, water guns still slung over their shoulders and bike helmets on their heads.

Still engrossed in their game, Rex, Gree and Cody were having a ball as they ran around the back of the house, ducking and dodging the flying paintballs. They all went red when they noticed the waiting Jedi, slinging their weapons and taking their places in the growing ranks. Coming around the other side of the house, Bly and Fox saw their targets and opened fire, splattered their fellow senior brothers with yellow and red paint before Fox spotted the Jedi and let out a less than manly yelp. Shouldering their weapons, they bolted for the ranks as well, dripping paint all over the grass.

Bursting through the trees, Fives and Echo were an absolute mess, covered in mud, grass and leaves from top to toe. Rinsing off their faces, they joined the ranks as well, laughing at the brightly coloured officers just in front of them. Rex just rolled his eyes and turned, nailing them both in the gut with a single stinging round. That quickly silenced their laughter.

Screaming with delight, Wolffe leapt behind the cover of the house, barely recognisable in his camouflage gear. Pressed to the wall, he waited a breath before sticking his head out and opening fire. Everyone heard the shocked yelps before the rest of his pack trudged into sight, generously splattered with grey and white paint. Turning around, Wolffe definitely jumped when he saw the Jedi. His distraction gave Spitter the perfect opportunity, the younger clone letting rip with a paint grenade just as Wolffe turned around to get them into order. It exploded against his chest, covering him with grey paint and splattering the wall behind him as well as getting all five of his fellow senior brothers. Removing his mask, Wolffe just shrugged and joined his brothers, his pack falling into place behind him.

Last to arrive since they'd been right down the back of the property, Hevy and Boil cantered through the trees and eased their horses to a stop just outside the garden area. Dismounting smoothly, they hurried to join the group, leading the horses and hoping Emily wouldn't tell them off for bringing them this close to the house. Taking their places at the back of the group, they soothed Diablo and Dancer, coming to attention as best they could without letting go of the horses and risking even more trouble.

Chuckling at the stunned looks on the faces of the Jedi, Emily stepped forward and leant on the railing, looking around at her boys. They were filthy, sweaty and bloody in a few cases but they were so very happy to be free to do what they wanted.  
'When did the Generals arrive, buir?' Wolffe asked, wiping away the paint dripping down his forehead from the grenade.  
'About two minutes before 99 put out the message to stay away from the house. Emily grinned, retrieving an old towel from a large box of them and tossing it to him. 'They didn't believe me when I said you guys were happy here.'  
'As you can see, General Secura, morale couldn't be higher. This place has been good for us, in so many ways.' Bly offered, removing his paintball mask.  
'I hardly recognise you under all that paint Cody.' Obi-Wan remarked, trying to pick Cody from the crowd but without the Force or any obvious markings, it was a struggle.  
'That's the idea General Kenobi. Around here, I'm just one of the boys. No ranks, no rules and regs and no restrictions. We're free to be who we are inside.' Cody replied, lifting his mask to sit atop his head. 'It'll be real hard to leave but if you're all here, I guess we don't have much of a choice.' he sighed, dropping his gaze.  
'Buir, I don't want to leave. I like it here, it's home.' Tup broke in, his youth showing through as he stepped forward.  
'I don't want you to go either ad, it's been wonderful having you here. I really enjoyed teaching you everything I have.' Emily replied, blinking away her tears.  
'General, do we have to leave right now? We've made a home here, put down roots and learned so much. We're not ready to say goodbye to our buir just yet.' Gree added, slipping his mask up and looking at Luminara desperately.  
'I think something can be arranged.' Kit nodded, looking over the filthy little group of clones standing around, hoping for a few more days of peace. 'We left the cruiser hiding on the moon orbiting this planet. They will be safe there, I believe.' he grinned, looking to Emily for her input on the subject.  
'Well, if it's on the dark side and a crew is onboard to move it as required, I don't see why it couldn't stay up there indefinitely. There is a slight risk of it being located but most people here are sceptical of life beyond Earth.' Emily shrugged, honestly not sure if the cruiser would be discovered on the moon.  
'Indefinitely is out of the question, we must get back to the war. But perhaps a few days more, the men are clearly very attached to you, Emily.' Koon suggested, noticing the happy smiles from all the clones.  
'You could say that, General. We think of Emily as our mother.' Droidbait nodded, dabbing at his split lip. 'Buir, I think I'm going to need the medkit.'  
'Sit down, ad, and I'll go get it.' Emily chuckled, turning and heading for the door.  
'Vor'e buir.' Droidbait replied, breaking formation and heading to sit on the stairs.

Opening the towel box, Koon retrieved five and stepped past Droidbait, ignoring the confused looks from his fellow Jedi as he approached the Wolfpack, standing around Wolffe and sharing the clogged towel in a pitiful attempt to clean up. They all jumped when he joined them, offering out fresh towels.  
'To be honest General, we thought we'd been forgotten about.' Sinker admitted, wiping up the worst of the mess.  
'I will never forget any of you. It took time to find the rift that pulled you through to this galaxy.' Koon replied, helping Comet get the paint splattered down his back.  
'I hope the Seppies don't find it, this world has no defences against klankers. They still use projectile weapons.' Boost sighed, lifting his gaze to the sky. 'They'd be wiped out before anyone could help them.'  
'Do not worry Boost, there will always be someone on guard on our side of the rift to make sure no Separatist ships make it through.' Koon nodded, the plan already in motion. The rift would be used as a training area for new clones, bringing them up to speed on shipboard operations and whatever else they needed to study up on.

Waving away the towel Ahsoka offered him, Rex tapped Cody on the shoulder and raised his weapon, shooting his brother point blank in the chest before turning and sprinting away. Yanking his mask back down, Cody gave chase, laughing his head off as they wove between the trees. Swapping looks and grinning, the rest of the command group donned their masks and raced off, reigniting their game. It only took a few moments for the air to ring with laughter and delighted screams as they chased each other around the oak trees. Breaking away from his pack, Wolffe joined in as well, sniping his brothers before plunging into the open chaos beyond the trees and copping a pounding from all five of them.

#~#~^~#~#

Relaxing in the living room as the sun set, Emily smiled as Tup padded in, freshly showered and dressed in his pyjamas. Totally ignoring the Jedi, he walked over and settled in her lap, curling up into her embrace and trying to relax. Humming softly, Emily held him close and reached up to work the band loose, shaking his hair out and combing it through her fingers. Purring under the tender ministrations of the only mother figure he knew, Tup curled closer and pressed into the contact more, enjoying the fingers carding through his hair.  
'So this is what you consider parenting? Cuddling them at the end of each day?' Anakin asked, less than thrilled by what he was seeing.  
'Shhh, it's alright Tup. Don't worry about them, you just snuggle in close.' Emily soothed, calming him and drawing him back in close. 'Parenthood is a lot more than a cuddle to chase away fears. If you sit there and shut up long enough, you'll see what I mean.' she added, most of her focus on getting Tup to settle after a day full of surprises and shocks.

Next to come downstairs, Wolffe sat on the floor by Emily's feet and offered out his notebook, his strong, sloping script filling the page. Shifting her hold on Tup, Emily accepted the book, immediately falling into the adventure Wolffe was writing. His language style still needed some work but his action sequences had such a flare to them. He caught the details, dragging the reader into the bustling life of the main character.  
'This is really coming along Wolffe. You're really delving deep into Raven's mind and what he's feeling. But considering his life, I'm not surprised you've nailed the details. Well done, you're really coming along with this.' she praised, handing the book back and ruffling his hair.  
'Vor'e buir.' Wolffe beamed, leaning into her touch.

Leaning over the back of Emily's chair to brush a soft kiss across her temple, Gus padded over and got comfortable on the window seat, a small red bag in his hand. Tucking his feet up, he opened his bag and pulled out his latest project. Sorting out the bundles of coloured thread, he smoothed the finished section and checked where he was up to before starting to weave the bundles of thread into a stunning design. Left leg crossed over right to keep tension on the completed piece, he worked the nine twisted strands together, shuffling the completed cloth forward as he got too much in his lap to deal with.

Coming into the living room with a large case in his hand, Rex took the other window seat and opened the case, lifting out the brand new guitar Emily had gotten him for their second Christmas together. Tuning by ear, he got comfortable and started to play from the heart. Hands so capable of violence and destruction danced across the strings, telling a story of home, love and family without a single word spoken.

Watching in awe at the display unfolding around them, the eight Jedi could only look around and try to take it all in as the clones opened up and let their personalities show. Filling the room with music and conversation, they barely noticed the Jedi in the room with them. Smiling, joking and just generally having a good time, they filled the room with life and family, bound to this woman who was still a stranger to them. Sitting in the middle of the group, Emily kept Tup tucked in close to her chest and praised as many of them as she could, lighting them up as she poured her love, compassion and support over their heads and talents. They flourished under her care, absolutely delighted when she singled them out of the crowd.

With everyone absorbed in their own individual activities, Emily turned her gaze to the Jedi, cocking an eyebrow in invitation of questions. For a while, they didn't seem to know what to think, much less what to say as they looked around at the happy clones.  
'So this is what you've been doing since you met the clones? Broadening their creative side.' Kit asked, admiring the sweet little beaded necklace Fox was making.  
'Not just their creativity. I gave them back their childhood. Everything that I remembered from my own childhood, I gave to them. Being a mother is hard work, it's a job with a lot of different parts. Nurse, councillor, teacher, disciplinarian, coach, driver, chef, confidant, friend, guide, mentor and, in the case of these boys; sparring partner, training officer, weapons master, range master and drill instructor.' Emily listed, checking on Tup again. 'And sometimes a safe place to curl up and sleep.' she grinned, stroking his cheek softly.  
'Want me to take him up to bed, buir?' Boost asked, looking up from his latest pencil artwork.  
'No, I'll take him up when it's bedtime. But if you could pass me a light blanket, gedet'ye.' Emily replied, not quite ready to risk waking Tup just yet.  
'There's one over here Boost.' Rex offered, holding out the folded blanket.  
'Vor'e vod.' Boost nodded, stepping over his brothers to retrieve the blanket and then help Emily tuck their youngest brother in safe and warm.  
'Buir, what's another word for paradise?' Kix asked, scratching behind his ear with his pencil.  
'In what context? There are many words to fit but the context is important.' Emily pushed, needing a little more information before she made a suggestion.  
'A place where everything is wonderful.' Kix offered, hiding what he was writing when Ahsoka leant forward.  
'Utopia, nirvana or heaven.' Emily suggested, smiling when 99 put a fresh soda in easy reach for her before going back to his reading. 'That was very kind of you 99.'  
'Anything to help, buir.' 99 replied, looking up from his cooking book again.

Recognising just how much work Emily put into keeping the clones safe and happy, the Jedi had to admire her ability to keep so many young minds occupied with such a variety of things. They had never expected the clones to show such creativity, turning their hands to so many different things. It was incredible to witness the way they relaxed and enjoyed simple activities so much.  
'I don't suppose you lot thought to bring bedding?' Emily asked, turning her mind to the next challenge for her.  
'Honestly, we weren't expecting to stay very long.' Obi-Wan replied, watching Cody as he played beside Rex, their instruments in perfect harmony.  
'Once the kids are in bed, I'll dig out bedding for you as well. Best I can offer is the floor down here, it's crowded upstairs with 28 clones.' Emily offered, still amazed that everyone fit in the living room. 'I'm not sure I'll be able to squeeze in the clones you left out with the gunship.'   
'Oh Force. I forgot all about Pulse and River.' Aayla gasped, shooting to her feet and running outside to get the men left behind in the gunship.  
'Well, now some of the stories make more sense.' Emily uttered, shaking her head slowly.

#~#~^~#~#

Fully aware that Ahsoka and Barriss were watching from the doorway, Emily tucked her boys into bed, lingering for a few minutes to say a final goodnight to each one before moving along. Taking a knee beside Gree's bed, Emily picked up the teddy bear that had fallen to the floor and tucked it back in beside him, smiling as he hugged it to his chest. Reaching out again, Emily lightly stroked the cat curled up behind his knees, her black fur barely noticeable in the darkness of the night and the bedding.  
'Sleep well dearest Gree. Buir has the watch tonight.' she uttered, brushing a soft kiss across his temple and tugging up the blanket a little more. Mumbling something incoherent, Gree snuggled down and started snoring softly, a picture of innocence as he slept.

Treading on silent feet, Emily moved to the middle bed, fingers lightly skimming over Cody's bare shoulder as she knelt beside him and adjusted the blankets over his back. One eye cracking open, Cody groaned softly, sleepy gaze falling on Emily's face.  
'Shh, go back to sleep Cody.' Emily coaxed, stroking one rough cheek lightly. 'It's alright, go back to sleep.'  
'Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum buir.' Cody muttered, settling back down and sighing softly.  
'I love you too, my son.' Emily nodded, leaving a soft kiss on his cheek as she stood and stroked the tabby curled up on Cody's lower back.

Warning the girls with a look about saying anything about what they'd witnessed up here, Emily padded over and crouched beside Rex. He was so sweet in rest, curled up on his side with his teddy bear held to his chest and his cat curled up against the back of his neck, soft grey fur spilling over his skin. Lifting the blankets and guiding them up and over Rex properly, she gently tucked his left hand back under the covers, knowing that he would be aware of her night visit when he awoke.  
'Tonight will be the night, my son. Sleep in peace and dream of home.' she whispered, hoping that for just one night, the nightmares would leave him. 'I'll keep you safe.' she promised, kissing his forehead softly.

One last check to be sure they were sleeping peacefully and Emily left their room, ushering the young Padawans down the hallway.  
'I had no idea they were so cute when they were asleep.' Barriss commented, looking up at Emily as the older woman paused and listened intently. 'Emily?'  
'Hush, I'm just checking something.' Emily warned, one finger to her lips in warning. 'Alright, they're all down and out. Most nights someone wakes up with bad dreams, it's my job to know when it's about to happen.' she explained, heading downstairs to check on the rest of the group.  
'I knew Rex was cute when he's asleep, I've had to go wake him for missions a few times.' Ahsoka shrugged, following Emily downstairs to the second landing.  
'You haven't seen cute yet, Ahsoka.' Emily winked, sharp ears picking up on a noise that didn't belong. 'Stay here.' she instructed, glancing at the Padawans for a moment before bolting down the hallway.

Swinging open the second bedroom door, Emily darted through and skidded across the floor to wrap Hardcase up in her arms, holding him close as he panted for breath. Trembling from the fright, Hardcase clung to her desperately, face pressed into her neck as he tried to calm down.  
'Shhh, it's alright Hardcase. It was only a dream, it can't hurt you. I've got you, you're safe now. Just relax, I'm here and I won't leave.' she soothed, stroking his back as she rocked slowly.  
'Mmm, what's goin' on?' Jesse muttered, slowly lifting his head and looking around.  
'Go back to sleep Jesse, it's okay.' Emily coaxed, most of her focus on Hardcase as she spoke.  
'M'kay buir.' Jesse nodded, snuggling back down and rolling over.  
'Sorry if I woke you, buir.' Hardcase uttered, slowly calming down as she held him close.  
'You didn't, ad, I'll be awake for a while yet.' Emily reassured him, slowly drawing away and lightly stroking his cheek. 'Do you think you can go back to sleep now, dear Hardcase?'  
'I'll try, buir.' he nodded, settling back and getting comfortable. 'Misty, come on sweetie.' he called softly, patting the bedding until his ginger fluff ball jumped back up onto the bed and curled up against his back.  
'Good boy, try and get some sleep.' Emily nodded, kissing his cheek softly and tucking him in with his stuffed dog. 'I'll be here if you need me, ad.'  
'I know, buir. Good night.' Hardcase nodded, already drifting back to sleep.  
'Sleep well, my son.' Emily grinned, squeezing his shoulder before leaving the room quietly.

Ahsoka and Barriss were still waiting on the landing, not pushing for details as Emily headed back to the ground floor now that her parenting duties were dealt with for the moment. Swinging by the kitchen to grab a drink and a snack, she curled up in her armchair again, watching the Jedi as they watched her.  
'In all truth Emily, how have you really been managing with the clones that somehow found their way to your home?' Kit asked, his head-tentacles draped over the back of the couch where he wouldn't crush them.  
'Today was no different than any other day for my family. Every day had a routine and even the arrival of eight Jedi wasn't enough to throw the boys off their routine. This morning was hand-to-hand training then after lunch everyone had free time while I was busy doing hydrotherapy with 99. We were supposed to do night exercises tonight but with company, it was put off for another time.' Emily shrugged, reaching down to stroke Remus' back.  
'I still find it amazing, the talent for more creative pastimes that these men show.' Luminara mused, eyes drawn to a painting on the wall.  
'That's one of Sketch's works, he already knew he had a talent for art when he arrived. But no one else had encouraged him to see just how good he could be. He painted that one last week.' Emily nodded, looking up at the landscape of the homestead painted with such innocence.  
'As grateful as I am to know we have found the missing clones, I am particularly interested in how Commander Bly had been doing under your care.' Aayla mused, dark eyes turning back to Emily as she spoke.  
'well, in just the 18 months he's been here his accuracy scores have gone up by 81 percent against moving targets, his tracking skills have improved by at least 60 percent and he's found a gift for pottery. It's a messy hobby but he really does seem to enjoy what he can make.' Emily shrugged, getting up and padding over to pick up a quarter scale replica of a clone helmet. 'He made this a few weeks ago for my birthday.'  
'Bly made this? I am most impressed, I had no idea he was so talented.' Aayla remarked, accepting the small helmet and looking it over.  
'He was so proud when he presented it to me, he's been working very hard to get it right. He wanted it to be a perfect miniature of his own bucket and I'm thrilled with his results.' Emily agreed, taking the helmet back and returning it to the shelf.  
'What about Commander Gree? He always seemed like the type to stick with the comfort of what he knew rather than try these new projects.' Luminara asked, fairly sure she knew her Commander enough to make that statement.

Chuckling softly, Emily lifted down a model forest, each tree individually carved and set in a plaster base before it was painted up to look like a proper forest.  
'This is the masterpiece Gree gave me for my last birthday. He made it all by himself, from sticks and branches he found in the woodlands here on the property. I wondered what he was up to but whenever I walked near, he'd hide it away. The leaves he painstakingly made from real leaves, staining his fingernails as he shaped each one by hand. The grass is real too, inserted into the plaster a single blade at a time.' she explained, drawing amazed looks from the Jedi as they gazed at the model so carefully put together for Emily.  
'I would have thought the leaves and grass would have withered and gone brown very quickly.' Barriss mused, moving to kneel closer to the forest so she could truly admire the detail.  
'He ordered a special treatment solution off the internet. By dipping the leaves and grass in the solution, he was able to stop the passage of time for this mini forest.' Emily grinned, standing and returning the forest to its place on the side table.  
'Is there anyone that isn't doing so well under your care?' Koon asked, trying to find out if Emily had any weaknesses with this sort of thing. He had a glimmer of an idea but now wasn't the time to mention it to anyone else.

Unable to hide her amusement, Emily laughed and shook her head, reaching up to release her hair as she walked over to the large chest of drawers in the corner of the living room. Opening the drawers, she flipped through the bundles of paper before lifting one out and bringing it over to the Jedi.  
'In answer to your question, Master Koon, no. All of them have come a long way since I first met them. These are the first paintings the men did here. I told them to let go of everything they knew and trust in that little voice in the back of their minds screaming for attention. The little voice of the child in their souls, begging for a chance to be seen just once. These are the artworks that came out of that first day, notice how innocent and naïve they are.' Emily smiled softly, undoing the neatly tied bundle and spreading out the images.  
'This looks like it was done with fingers, not brushes.' Obi-Wan mused, picking up a very simple painting of a garden in bloom.  
'Because it was painted with fingers, Cody's fingers actually.' Emily nodded, spotting the name on the back. 'You should have seen how happy he was when that was stuck up on the wall for all to enjoy.'  
'I have a feeling this might be Gree's work.' Barriss mused, holding up a picture of Emily's old Hummer, redone in a brighter green.  
'Not even close. That's Kix's first one, I had that beast of a vehicle parked outside for a wash while the boys were painting away.' Emily corrected, remembering the day with a certain fondness. 'Don't let their colour choices fool you, they're less concerned about unit loyalty now.'  
'These images appear as though you took them back further than we thought. The children in the crèche at the Jedi Temple paint like this.' Kit commented, attention caught by a brightly coloured, very simplistic fish. 'And they're much younger than the clones.'  
'Before I started giving them back their childhood, only one of the 28 here knew anything about art. And even Sketch, as talented as he was, could only draw one thing really well - his brothers. So I took them right back, to simple finger painting and let them build up in their own way. They stuck with it for most of the first year, gradually developing their own styles and figuring out if they liked to paint as a hobby. Most of them found other interests but some stuck with it, most notably Sketch and Hardcase.' Emily explained, finding Hardcase's first image in the pile.

It wasn't very fancy, just a tree but when compared to the highly ornate and complex vistas of colour and pattern he made now, it showed just how far he'd come. Getting up again, she retrieved one of his latest works, spreading out the darkly coloured and patterned piece beside the simplistic tree.  
'In just 18 months, Hardcase has gone from basic shapes and little understanding of why he was creating, to being able to put his exact thoughts down on canvas. He did this one just a few days ago, pouring out his worry and concern while I was in town with Kix at the dentist. He's still a little tender in the mouth but that's only to be expected after an extraction.' she continued, drawing attention to the contrast in the images.  
'Wait, you did what to Kix?' Anakin asked, thoughts snapping to the medic he knew well.  
'He had a troublesome tooth that was causing him pain constantly so I took him to a dentist. The best thing to do was take it out. He's fine, just a little sore still. You might have fancy, highly advanced medical and dental technology but around here, it's not that simple. I let Kix make his own choice, he wanted it out. So I took him to a professional to have it dealt with. He's a lot happier now that it's not causing him any serious pain.' Emily defended, remembering how she'd stayed close and soothed him with a soft song as the dentist worked.

Getting a feeling that the conversation was about to steer away from art, Emily stood and put the pictures away, tying up the bundle of early painting and tucking them back in the drawer before hanging Hardcase's painting back up on the wall where it belonged.  
'So you've been providing medical care as well?' Barriss asked, seemingly surprised by just how dedicated Emily was to the clones.  
'I take my responsibilities to the boys very seriously, Barriss. I know this world, it is my home and so very different to what your galaxy has to offer. We have no medical droids, no bacta, synthskin, cybernetic replacement limbs or any of that sort of fancy stuff. Our techniques probably seem outdated to you but they work. It's scary for the boys, they don't know what to expect when one of them gets hurt. I've taught them all the first aid I know, I'm not sure they'll ever use it in your galaxy but at least they have the knowledge.' Emily shrugged, trying not to think about all the times she'd patched the boys up over the last 18 months. 'Thankfully no one has been seriously hurt, just the usual injuries that young boys get. Bumps, bruises, grazes and cuts mostly, but there have been a few more serious injuries. Tup sprained his ankle last year, he fell out of a tree. Echo dislocated his nose playing baseball, made a mess but it healed up nicely. Gree cracked a couple ribs playing football, he required a trip to the hospital but was home again that night.'  
'Those are normal injuries on this world?' Koon asked, shocked by the injuries listed so casually.  
'Football is a very physical game, injuries are very common. Baseball isn't as dangerous but accidents happen when trying to catch a fast ball. As for falling out of a tree, even those who have spent nearly 30 years living on this planet do it occasionally.' Emily replied, head snapping up when she heard a thump from upstairs. 'No, don't have to worry about that thump.' she uttered, settling back down again.  
'You heard something Emily?' Kit asked, lifting his gaze to indicate the upper stories.  
'Double thump, likely Spitter getting up for a bathroom break. It's the really loud single thumps I have to worry about, those indicate someone was torn from their sleep by a nightmare.' Emily confirmed, head cocked to the side as she listened. 'Not Spitter though…that's Comet on the move. You might not believe that I can tell them apart by their footsteps but after 18 months of taking such attentive care of them all, I've learned those tiny little differences that pick them apart.' she added, brushing off the footsteps as unimportant.


	8. One Last Turn

'Buir! Buir!' Dogma cried, sprinting back towards the house. 'Buir!'  
'What is it Dogma?' Emily asked, launching out of the deck chair and running towards him.  
'Chopper got kicked by Diablo. It looks bad, when I left the stable he was on the ground screaming in agony and his leg looked wrong.' Dogma briefed, skidding to a stop beside Emily.  
'Kix! Put down the pen and grab the mega medkit!' Emily roared, a deep fear striking her in the stomach. 'Move it! Code Red!'  
'Copy that!' Kix nodded, shooting to his feet and disappearing inside. Bolting towards them a few minutes later, Kix swung the second backpack to Emily and took off beside her, following Dogma back towards the stable.

The sight in the barn was worse than Dogma described. Chopper was on the ground, writhing in agony as Sketch tried to offer comfort. His right leg was a bloody mess, an alarming puddle already forming under him. Looking closer, Emily could just make out the sharp tip of a bone poking out through his skin, adding to the danger. Leaned up against one of the posts holding the roof up, Gus was also in serious pain, clutching his left am to his chest as he rocked slowly, tears falling freely as he tried to deal with whatever had happened.  
'Sketch, sitrep.' Emily ordered, sending Kix and Dogma to deal with Gus as she darted over to kneel beside Chopper. 'Easy now ad, I'm here.' she soothed, cradling his head gently.  
'We were going to clean out Diablo's stall, just like we were supposed to but he went a little crazy. He kicked Chopper as soon as he opened the door, I dragged him out of the way and Gus moved in to try and calm Diablo. Next thing I know, Gus is screaming and stumbling out of the stall as well. Dogma heard the noise, stuck his head in then ran to get you.' Sketch briefed, wishing he knew what else to do for his squad-brothers.  
'Kix! Report!' Emily barked, opening her medkit and reaching for the strong painkillers. 'Easy now Chopper, this will help with the pain.'  
'It's a clear break. No bone protrusions though, but it's a bloody mess, literally. Four deep gashes, likely the edges of Diablo's shoe.' Kix shot back, already working on dealing with the mess.  
'What do we do buir?' Sketch asked, showing his youth all over again.  
'You're going to have to make that choice for them Sketch. They're both under the effect of some fairly heavy painkillers now, it's your call. Either we call for the paramedics and get them to hospital in Chicago or we figure out a way to get them to the waiting cruiser for medical assistance.' Emily replied, distracting Sketch from panicking by dumping the choice on his shoulders.

Looking around at his injured brothers, Sketch made the choice easily. There was only one logical answer to Emily's question. It scared to be the one left holding the bag but in this case he was the only one who could make the call for them.  
'Chicago, it's too risky and will take too long to try for the cruiser.' he nodded, satisfied with the decision. 'Not to mention the LAAT/i would never break orbit.'  
'Alright, Chicago it is. Take my phone and make the call. You remember what I taught you about calling 911?' Emily instructed, tossing him the cell phone permanently on her belt.  
'I remember buir.' Sketch nodded, moving to the door and dialling for help.

Putting Sketch out of her mind, Emily focused on stabilising Chopper and making him as comfortable as possible. Glancing over again, she watched Kix working his magic on Gus, Dogma crouched beside him handing things over.  
'Dogma, I need you to run back to the house. Under my bed you'll find a black leather overnight bag marked with a red tag that reads emergency kit. Quick as you can, go and fetch it for me, please.' she called, sending him scurrying to do as asked.  
'He was being useful, buir.' Kix sighed, dragging his kit closer.  
'I know Kix, but I need that bag if I'm going to be staying with Chopper and Gus until they are released from hospital.' Emily replied, sitting back on her haunches. 'That'll hold you over until the paramedics arrive Chop. Just relax, everything is okay now.'

#~#~^~#~#

Struggling to continue the fun without Emily there to fill the position of mother, the clones gave up their hobbies and turned to training. Trading in their casual clothes for their armour, they put down their toys and picked up their weapons. Turning their backs on everything Emily had tried to instil in them, they reverted to the good little soldiers the Jedi knew they were.

But the Jedi didn't want to see good little soldiers; they wanted to know more about the hobbies the clones had taken up. So, for the first time in years for many of them, they let go of their tightly held control and tried their hand at the innocent games and hobbies on offer. They looked like fools but it didn't matter, losing their dignity was a small price to pay to coax the clones back into the fun. It took time, but slowly the clones put away their military lives and pulled out the fun again, bringing life, light and laughter back to the house.

Tearing around on the back lawn, the men of the 501st couldn't wipe the smiles off their faces as they squared off against Anakin and Ahsoka, everyone already liberally splattered with blue and white paint as they ran and ducked, aiming for the best spots without doing too much damage. Anakin had taken the bigger beating by far, his borrowed clothes completely soaked with drying paint but he wasn't giving up yet.

Out on the front lawn, well clear of the house, the Wolfpack were also on the move, bringing their friend and choice-brother into the game and teaching him the rules. Finding it so much easier to run around in jeans and a tee-shirt borrowed from the pack, Plo Koon knew he had to be careful but he still found it most enjoyable to get involved in something so completely against the standard behaviour of such a respected Jedi.

In the pool, 99 tried to relax as Barriss helped him with his exercises. It was hard to concentrate on the hydrotherapy though. Usually he could ignore distractions and other people using the pool but today, he got to witness Kit in his natural environment and it was something truly special to see. Barriss didn't seem to mind his distraction, also caught up in watching the graceful green blur under the surface. Taking a deep breath, 99 checked his goggles were secure and ducked under the surface, turning to follow Kit as he drifted and danced.

Trying to keep their minds off Chopper and Gus, Cody and the rest of the 212th took Obi-Wan down to the basketball court to shoot some hoops. With seven on the court, they decided on a half-court game, Sketch, Jester, Punch and Obi-Wan against Cody, Waxer and Boil. Picking up the rules of the game quickly, Obi-Wan gave as good as he got, getting right into the game and putting everything else aside. Stealing the ball from Cody, Obi-Wan took off running, slipping past Sketch and sending the ball through the hoop.

Refusing to be daunted by Diablo's bad behaviour, Bly led Dancer and Angel out of the stables and tied them securely to the rail before turning and offering Aayla his hands. Smiling softly, Aayla accepted the help into Angel's saddle, finding it so different than any other beast she'd ridden. Untying both horses and checking his helmet was secure, Bly swung into the saddle with practised ease, Dancer barely moving as he settled. Adjusting her own helmet, Aayla watched the way Bly controlled his horse and mimicked him, gaining confidence with the strange new animal before they took to the open grass.

Understanding that some Jedi just couldn't let go and really enjoy life, Fox carried his beading kit out onto the back deck and sat, pulling out a half finished project. Twisting the six individual strands together, he continued the flowing red and white design, trying to create something truly beautiful for Emily. Pinching the strands between his fingers when someone else joined him, he smiled and motioned for Luminara to have a seat. Gazing at all the beads neatly contained in the kit, Luminara smiled and started creating her own design, starting with three strands and working in several different shades of green that worked nicely against her skin.

#~#~^~#~#

A week after the accident, Emily surprised the extended family when she came home as they were sitting down for the midday meal. All eyes were immediately on her, everyone eager to hear how their wounded brothers were doing. Holding up her hand to silence the questions, Emily headed straight for the bubbling pot on the stove, serving up a helping of whatever the mystery stew was.

Settling at her usual spot at the table, Emily could feel the eyes of the family boring into her as she ate, desperation starting to fill the air as she kept her silence. They wanted to know why she was home without their brothers when she'd promised to stay with them.  
'Everyone just chill out. Chopper and Gus are in for another round of surgery, so I figured I'd come home, grab a decent meal, repack my emergency kit and get back before they realise I left. It's going to be at least another few weeks before they get to come home, so you might as well just relax. Their injuries are complicated by the over lying flesh injuries, be they caused by bone protruding or the edges of Diablo's shoe. Be patient, the family will be reunited again in time. Our medical tech isn't as fast-acting as yours, as most of you have already learned.' Emily grinned, calming the rest of her boys. 'Now, I'd much rather hear what you've all been up to.'  
'We taught Obi-Wan to play basketball and to climb trees.' Cody offered, lit up by the news and what he'd accomplished in a week.  
'Ahsoka and Anakin are really getting a hang of paintball.' Rex added, touching the red mark on his temple. 'This was today's classic shot from Ahsoka.'  
'I'm guessing that somewhere around this table is a classic shot from Anakin too.' Emily smirked, scanning the group slowly. 'Now who could it be?'  
'I took it, buir.' Jesse replied, lifting his gaze. 'The location is embarrassing though.'  
'Below the belt?' Emily asked, cocking one eyebrow in amusement.  
'Elek buir. From behind while I was running from Domino.' Jesse confirmed, cheeks flushing in embarrassment as he shifted.  
'And I'm willing to bet Hardcase and Kix left Domino regretting the chase.' Emily chuckled, gaze swinging towards Domino Squad.  
'Nayc buir.' Hardcase sniggered, glancing over at Anakin. 'Wasn't Domino's fault. We went Anakin and we went hard.'   
'Nicely done ade.' Emily praised, looking around the table. 'What about the rest of you?'  
'Barriss and Kit have been helping with my therapy. Well, Barriss more so than Kit but he's trying. He keeps getting distracted by his instincts to swim free.' 99 grinned, leaving the table so someone else could sit.  
'I'm aquatic born; did you honestly expect anything else?' Kit shrugged, slipping into Cody's chair to finish his meal.  
'Has anyone taken you out to the lake? It's beautiful out there and there's plenty of space to swim. The water isn't as clean but it's about as good as it gets for wild bodies of water.' Emily suggested, grateful for the coffee Rex set in front of her.  
'That's the plan for tomorrow, just like every other second Saturday. We were going to make a picnic, hitch up the buggies and ride up there. But without Diablo to pull the big cart, we weren't sure how to get everyone up there.' Fox shrugged, coming around behind Emily and fastening his new necklace around her throat.  
'I'll go down and check on Diablo after I've eaten. I know Diablo; it's not like him to lash out at you boys. But just to be safe, someone ride out to the retirement paddock and fetch Thunder. His tack is in the second tack room, it'll need a bit of a clean but it's still in good condition. Whoever goes up there will just have to call him, he's a good horse. But be careful, Thunder makes Diablo look small.' Emily guided, thoughts turning to her big old Clydesdale.  
'Who's Thunder? You never told us anything about Thunder.' Gree asked, leaving the table to make more room.  
'Thunder is an old Clydesdale, a big, strong working horse. I got him after his working life was over, now he lives in peace out with some other older horses I've rescued over the years. Don't let his size intimidate you; he's a sweetie under all his bulk. Treat him right and you'll earn a friend for life in ol' Thunder. Treat him like any other horse, but be aware of his increased food and water needs due to his size.' Emily smiled, getting up and lifting down a photo hanging on the wall. 'This is Thunder, back when I first got him so…six years now.' she sighed softly, handing the photo to Gree before it went around for everyone to admire.

Rinsing her bowl and adding it to the pile, Emily glanced at the calendar as she headed for the door. Head snapping back, she fully registered what day it was and swore, everything clicking into place. It all made sense, the time of year combined with Diablo's behaviour, it was all painfully obvious now that she'd taken a second to look at the calendar.  
'What is it buir?' Jester asked, hurrying to her side.  
'It's all my fault. I should have realised it was that time of year. This mess is on my shoulders.' Emily uttered, hanging her head and turning away from her boys.  
'What are you talking about buir?' Boil asked, coming up on Emily's other side.  
'I know why Diablo lashed out. Chopper and Gus are in hospital because I screwed up. If I'd only thought to look at the damn calendar, I would have known that this was the wrong time of the year to put anyone anywhere near Diablo. Four of the mares are in season, he wants to breed but he can't get at them.' Emily snapped; the guilt and pain too much to bear. Shoving Boil away, she sprinted out of the house and disappeared around the corner, leaving her family in shock.

#~#~^~#~#

Returning to the hospital, still fighting her guilt and hoping for salvation from the men who trusted her to keep them safe, Emily hurried down the corridors, emergency kit over one shoulder and a bag of gifts for her wounded boys in her hand. It had cost her some sizeable donations to the hospital but she'd gotten them a private room to share and ensured the ultimate privacy for her boys. Even the staff that were treating her boys were sworn to secrecy about their patients, having been required to sign non-disclosure agreements before Emily would let anyone near her boys. Now the medical team were stuck, their careers at risk if anyone breathed a word about the secret patients.

Nudging the door open, she smiled at the sight of her sleeping boys, tucked up safely in their temporary beds as their bodies worked to clear the anaesthetic from their systems. They were so peaceful, lost in hopefully pleasant dreams as they recovered. Putting her bags down, Emily couldn't resist the urge to check on them; just to be sure the medical team had done a job worthy of the amount she'd donated.

Just as she was heading to check on Chopper's condition, Gus stirred and groaned, drawing her attention. Reaching into the second bag she'd brought along, Emily pulled out a special gift and crossed the room again.  
'Buir?' he croaked, barely able to open his eyes.  
'I'm right here, ad.' Emily soothed, stroking his forehead with her knuckles. 'It's alright, I'm right here still.'  
'Thought you were gone.' Gus uttered, leaning into her touch.  
'I went back to the house to grab a few things and let everyone know you're both on the road to recovery. They were all very worried about you two.' Emily grinned, tucking his stuffed cat in beside him. 'How are you feeling now?'  
'Sleepy…but less sore now.' Gus replied, drawing his toy closer. 'Just wanna sleep.'  
'Shh, go back to sleep then, dear ad. I'll stay right here and keep you safe.' Emily coaxed, adjusting the blankets and making Gus comfortable. It took him a few minutes to settle, the half-cast on his arm a new sensation for him.

Turning her attention to her other injured son, Emily reached into the bag again as she moved to stand beside Chopper, taking in his state and trying not to let it hurt so much. Smoothing out his blankets and tucking him in, she gently placed his stuffed horse into his embrace, hoping that this run in with Diablo wasn't going to scare him away from the herd. Mumbling something incoherent, Chopper hugged the toy close and settled again, a soft little smile on his war scarred features. Risking waking him up, Emily reached out to touch one shaggy cheek, still amazed by how fast they changed. If he was out of action for much longer, he'd be completely unrecognisable as one of her boys.

Hitting on an idea, Emily left her boys and darted down to the nearest nurse station, ignoring the confused looks and repeating her requests until she got what she needed. Holding the new supplies to her chest, she ran back to her boys; relieved to find them still fast asleep. Now all she could do was hope they stayed asleep while she worked her magic on them.


	9. Saying Goodbye

Excitement building as they saw the Hummer coming up the driveway, the clones abandoned their games and ran to meet the car, hoping that today was the day when Emily would bring their missing brothers home. Confused by the actions of the clones, the Jedi gave chase, wondering what all the excitement was all about.

Pulling up beside the house, Emily smiled at the happy faces all around the car as she jumped down and headed around the back to grab out the luggage. Spitter and Comet were already on it though, drawing out the bags and heading for the house.  
'come on Gus, out you get.' she grinned, opening the back door and helping Gus slide down without jarring his arm. 'There you go, safe at home again.'  
'Vor'e buir.' Gus chuckled, so glad to be home where he belonged. 'Ner vode.' he greeted, waving to his closest brothers.  
'Welcome home vod.' Cody replied, gently enfolding Gus in his arms. 'We've missed you.'  
'I've missed you all as well.' Gus nodded, adjusting his sling and slipping past Cody to rejoin his Squad-brothers.

With Gus safely passed into the care of his brothers, Emily turned her attention to getting Chopper out and safely back with his true family. Leaning his crutches against the back door, she reached in and ever so carefully lifted Chopper from the passenger seat. This was the main reason she'd taken the Hummer for the pickup, it meant she had enough space for Chopper to manoeuvre without bashing his broken leg into anything in the vehicle. Proving her strength all over again, Emily hoisted Chopper out of the mighty machine and guided him to put his left foot down. Keeping most of his weight across her shoulders, Emily handed over his crutches and shifted her hands to grip his belt until he was stable and settled comfortably.  
'Take your time Chopper, the real world isn't as easy to manage on crutches as the hospital was.' she guided, releasing his belt but ready to catch if he stumbled.  
'I'll be okay, buir.' Chopper nodded, finding his balance on the loose gravel and heading towards his Squad-brothers.  
'Welcome home Chopper.' Sketch grinned, leaning in to bump their foreheads together.  
'It's good to be home.' Chopper replied, adjusting his crutches to find a more stable position. 'Of all the things I've gone through, this is one of the worst.'  
'Surely not the worst though.' Punch remarked, gaze falling to the crisp white cast Chopper was sporting now.  
'No, the Geonosis crash will always be the worst. I'd put this Diablo incident at probably fourth on the list, adding in the long recovery and dull pain that is only to be expected.' Chopper shrugged, shifting his right leg to rest against his left. 'Gonna be another few months before I'm fully back in action, but I'm sure I'll find something to do to pass the time.'  
'I guess I won't be finishing my latest weaving project for a while. Not with this thing, anyway.' Gus added, reaching out to pluck the pencil from behind Sketch's ear to scratch under his cast.  
'At least you can get under yours Gus.' Chopper sighed, wriggling his bare toes in an attempt to scratch an itch against the inside of his cast.  
'Still gotta be careful of the sutures inside.' Gus shrugged, wiping the pencil off on his shirt and handing it back.

Watching the squad reaffirm their bond, Emily smiled and slumped back against her Hummer, absolutely exhausted and glad to be home to stay.  
'We organised the downstairs bedroom just like you asked, buir.' Droidbait called, making his way over to her side.  
'Thanks 'Bait.' Emily grinned, reaching out to ruffle his hair. 'not sure Chopper's gonna like the temporary change but better that then risk a fall on the stairs.'  
'You look tired, buir.' Boil remarked, coming up beside her and reaching out to tuck her hair back behind her ear.  
'I'm exhausted Boil, but I'll cope. Hasn't been easy balancing home and hospital.' Emily grinned, finding new strength and heading for the door.  
'Why don't you go have a long, relaxing bath, buir. We can handle things for a little while.' Bly suggested, gaze drifting over the family quickly.  
'Now that sounds lovely Bly. I think I will, it's been a stressful few months.' Emily nodded, reaching up to release her hair and shake it out to fall like a curtain around her face.  
'I'll go start it running, buir.' Wolffe offered, darting into the house.  
'I truly am a lucky woman, to have boys like you in my life.' Emily uttered, wandering inside amid the joyful voices of her boys, the Jedi walking in behind her, astounded by the display from the men.

#~#~^~#~#

Relaxed after a long soak, Emily dressed and headed downstairs, totally at peace now that her family was reunited and complete again. But deep in her stomach, she knew this was the calm before the storm. Soon she would be asked to give up her family and send them back to the battlefields from which they came, never knowing if they would see each other again. As much as she wanted to keep them safe and let them live out their shortened lives in peace here with her, she knew that they were needed back on the frontlines, leading their brothers in battle and sharing her message with anyone that would listen.

Coming off the stairs, Emily refused to show her surprise when she was confronted by the Jedi, all standing together and obviously waiting for her to make her appearance again. Brushing them off, she walked to the window and peered out, her smile growing as she watched her boys playing paintball beyond the trees, Chopper and Gus sniping from the back deck until they could run with their brothers again.

Satisfied that her boys were safe, she turned her full attention to the Jedi, leaning back against the window and waiting for them to put their cards on the table. She knew she didn't have a strong bargaining position but that didn't mean she'd just give up on her boys.  
'Emily, we have spent far too long here. We must get back to the war before it is too late to protect our galaxy. But in good conscience we cannot leave these clones here with you. Each one of them is vital to the war effort, bringing their own strengths to the battles they face. You have taught us a lot about our treatment of the clones. We admit our mistakes and will endeavour to do better for them now that we understand them so much better.' Koon offered, motioning for Emily to take a seat at the table so they could discuss the situation properly.

Turning his words over in her mind, Emily padded over to the table and sat, eyeing the Jedi as they sat around her, totally serious about this discussion. Koon, Unduli, Offee and Kenobi sat to her left, Fisto, Secura, Skywalker and Tano to her right.  
'I knew this day was coming, I have known since you lot arrived on my doorstep. But that said, it's not going to be easy to convince the boys to leave. Of course, you can just order them to go and they will, their training will always be a big part of their lives. They will never forgive you for making it an order, it would be best for everyone if you let the farewell go naturally.' Emily sighed, shaking her head slowly.  
'If the farewell goes naturally, we may very well be here for a long time to come. We must get back to our galaxy and return to the fight. I understand that you do not wish to say goodbye but it's time we went back to our home.' Anakin replied, his attitude putting Emily on edge.  
'Going out there and ordering the men to armour up and prepare to leave will only drive a wedge between my boys and the Jedi, surely a bad thing. Give them a few days to pack their belongings and say goodbye to peace, they deserve that much.' Emily shot back, pushing to her feet.  
'Please, sit down Emily. We have something else we want to discuss with you.' Kit coaxed, reaching out to touch her hand.

As much as she disliked Anakin and his attitude, Emily sank back down, watching Kit as he shifted into a more comfortable position. Of all the Jedi that had come to her little corner of America, she liked the Nautolan the most.  
'we've noticed how much of an improvement you've made in the lives of just this small group and discussed just how effective the clones could be in combat if they were all as motivated and happy as these few are. If we were to provide you with a suitable house and plenty of land, would you consider coming with us to our galaxy and starting up something like this on a bigger scale? The Jedi will provide as much assistance as we can and we will ask the Senate to put their support behind it as well. Perhaps not on such a long term basis, monthly rotations would ensure the men are fresh and the message of your care spreads quickly through the ranks.' Kit explained, putting the idea out there for Emily's evaluation.

Jaw dropping in disbelief and shock, Emily had no idea what to say about such an offer. There was no guarantee that she would ever see her first sons again, not if the numbers they'd told her were to be believed and she saw no reason they shouldn't be truthful representations of their numbers. But the chance to help the clones regain their lives, it was a very tempting offer. She knew she couldn't go immediately though, if she was going to help so many clones, she would need to get organised and stock up on things only available on earth.  
'That's a mighty tempting offer, Master Fisto. As much as I'd love to say yes right now and make the preparations for the journey, I need more time to organise everything I would need to take with me to really spread my promise of childhood, respite and fun to so many young boys forced to grow up so fast. What I have here belongs to these boys, they are welcome to take whatever they wish when they leave. I would have to purchase new equipment for the house in your galaxy and getting enough will take more time that you are willing to give.' she replied, shaking her head slowly.  
'And just how much time would you require to gather what you need?' Luminara asked, as stately and proper as the first day they had met.  
'To a level comparable with these boys, at least a year. That's only thinking of the basics, if I find more toys and games that I think they will like, it will take longer to gather the supplies.' Emily estimated, thinking about everything she had spent on her boys.  
'We can't stay for that long Emily but perhaps we can still make this idea work. If we were to leave a second cruiser hiding on your moon and a comm unit here with you, they would be on hand to assist with transporting everything you need to your new home when you are ready to make the jump.' Plo suggested, wondering if the offer would be accepted.  
'Only if the cruiser can be spared. As you said, there is a war raging across your home galaxy, it wouldn't be right for me to take a needed ship from the front lines for my personal use.' Emily nodded, warming to the idea.  
'We have ships to spare. One cruiser out of position will not be severely missed.' Obi-Wan replied, looking around the table to see who would offer a ship. 'My fleet is on guard on the other side of the rift, I will contact them to send a second cruiser through.' he added when no one else offered from their own fleets.  
'My thanks Obi-Wan.' Emily nodded, getting to her feet. 'Let me be the one to tell the boys, they will accept the news better when their mother tells them what must happen. It will still hurt them but they will be less resistant to my words than yours.' she added, leaving the table and heading upstairs to plan what she would say to her dear boys.

#~#~^~#~#

Gathering everyone in the living room after the evening meal, Emily still wasn't exactly sure what to say to her boys but she knew this had to be done to give them the best chance to prepare for their eventual goodbye. Watching her sons settle all around her, she looked to the Jedi for a moment, hating that this moment had come.  
'My darling sons, tonight comes with a heavy burden for me, a burden I have been expecting for many weeks but I was unprepared for the weight I would feel upon my shoulders. We've had so much fun these last 18 months, I've truly enjoyed seeing the world through your eyes and showing you the fun you missed out on. But, as with so many things in life, our time together must come to an end. I don't want you to think that I don't love you anymore, I will always love you and treasure our time together. You have brightened the life of this old soldier and given me a new purpose in life.' falling silent, Emily swallowed and dropped her gaze, unable to stand the hurt in the eyes of the boys she loved so much.  
'But…I thought you wanted us here buir.' Cody uttered, devastated by the news.  
'I do Cody, I wish you could stay forever but it's time for you to go back to the duties you know so well. There comes a time in every child's life when they have to put aside their toys, abandon their games and live as respectable adults. Now it's your turn to be the respectable, honourable men I know you can be.' Emily replied, sinking to one knee and reaching out to squeeze Cody's calf. 'I wish it didn't have to be this way, I hate goodbyes but it's time.'  
'Please buir, don't send us away. We like it here.' Kix added, so close to tears as he looked up at Emily desperately.  
'Don't start crying Kix, you'll set me off as well. I don't want to say goodbye, I don't want to let any of you go but it has to be this way. It's not going to be forever though, we'll be reunited again, I promise you.' Emily choked, trying not to fall apart as she looked at the saddened faces of her boys.  
'The Generals will let us come back one day?' Wolffe asked, glancing at the Jedi for a moment.  
'Not quite. Once I have what I need, I'll be coming after you and setting up a place just like this somewhere in your galaxy. I don't know where and it'll be at least another year before I get there but I will be making the journey. Obi-Wan has promised me a cruiser to transport everything I will need to set up a truly wonderful home, not just for you but for all your brothers. But no matter how many clones I give a childhood, you will always be my first sons and the most priceless treasures in my life.' Emily promised, head snapping around at the choked sound from one of the boys. 'Oh Tup, I'm sorry it had to end like this.' she sighed, picking her way through the group to kneel and draw Tup into her embrace.  
'When do we have to leave?' 99 asked, accepting that it had to happen but still reluctant to leave.  
'We have one week of joy left, let's try to make the most of the time we have. We'll cram in as much happiness and fun into these last few days as we can and end our time together on a high.' Emily replied, determined not to end on a sad note.  
'Will you read us a story tonight, buir?' Wolffe almost begged, slipping right back to a point below his biological age.  
'Of course I will, Wolffe. Once everyone is showered and in their pyjamas, I'll read you a story.' Emily nodded, not at all concerned about the slip back to a really young state. 'Gus and Chopper, if you need help, I'm here.'  
'Vor'e buir, I'll need your help to manage.' Chopper replied, no shame in asking for her help to wash off the dust of another great day.  
'Same here, buir.' Gus agreed, adjusting his sling quickly.  
'Use the downstairs bathroom, I'll be right there.' Emily directed, drawing Tup to his feet and hugging him tight. 'Off you go boys, I'll pick a story and be right here when you're all done.'

Once more showing their hearts of gold, the boys waited for Gus and Chopper to head for the downstairs bathroom before stampeding for the stairs, pushing and shoving in their hurry to get ready for story time. Shaking her head slowly, Emily chuckled and turned to the Jedi, wondering what they thought of her technique.  
'It seems a bit early to send them to bed, Emily.' Kit remarked, glancing at the clock on the wall.  
'The earlier they go to bed, the earlier they get up. The earlier they get up, the more fun they pack into each day and that's what they're aiming for. A week to squeeze in as much fun as possible, that's a challenge none of them can resist.' Emily shrugged, shedding her jacket and t-shirt before kicking off her shoes and peeling off her socks. 'You might as well get comfortable, it'll take a while for the boys to shower and get into their pyjamas. Adding Pulse and River to the group hasn't really changed their timings, but it'll be about half-an-hour for everyone to be washed and ready for story time.' she added, wandering away in just her dirty singlet and shorts to help her injured boys wash up and get ready for bed.  
'Buir, Chopper and Gus might need these.' Sketch called, reappearing at the foot of the stairs with two sets of pyjamas.  
'Vor'e Sketch, well done for remembering your brothers.' Emily praised, walking over to take the clothes and kiss his cheek.

#~#~^~#~#

The week flashed by so fast, the days blurring together in a haze of fun and adventure and the nights full of stories and quiet entertainment. But on the sixth day, the routine changed. Instead of heading outside to play after lunch, the boys trooped upstairs, Chopper whispering something in Gus' ear before heading for the living room to get comfortable. Scratching her head, Emily honestly had no idea what her boys were up to this time. They were constantly surprising her with new things, even after so long under her care.

Coming back downstairs, they gathered in the living room, ignoring the Jedi and waiting for Emily to join them. Starting the dishwasher, Emily wandered in to join them, curiosity piqued by the covered bundles everyone was holding, different shapes and sizes scattered around the room.  
'Buir, you've been so good to us since we suddenly arrived at your operations centre in Chicago. In the beginning, you didn't understand us and we had no idea bout your world but with time and patience, we've all learned so much. You've given us more than we could have hoped for and in return, we have something special for you.' 99 offered, glancing around at his brothers.

Getting to his feet, Tup approached Emily first and unwrapped the bundle in his hands before placing a black mass in her hands. Brow creasing in confusion, Emily shook it out, looking down when something landed on the floor. Stooping to pick it up, she realised just what she'd been handed but the reason eluded her.  
'I don't understand, Tup.' she sighed, looking at the items in her hands.  
'You will soon buir. Just go and put it on, please.' Tup replied, returning to his spot on the floor.  
'Alright, I'll go along with this.' Emily grinned, slipping from the room to change.

Returning a few minutes later in the form fitting black bodysuit, Emily still had no idea what her boys were up to but it was bound to be interesting. She felt safe in the bodysuit, enjoying the way it hugged her every curve and clung like a second skin from neck to toes. The gauntlets were just as cosy, the blue and white plates over her knuckles a comforting weight for her.

Getting to their feet, Hardcase and Waxer approached her next, two similarly shaped bundles in their hands. Coming around behind her, Waxer unwrapped his bundle and pressed it to her back as Hardcase revealed his chestplate and fitted it into place, the pair working together to secure the panels together. Then Jester stepped up, fastening his abdominal and kidney armour into position as well. Fives was next, taking a knee and buckling his culet and codpiece around her hips, a little surprised that it fit just like it was meant to. Bly approached next, Chopper coming up with him. Balancing on his crutches, Chopper removed his utility belt from around his waist and handed it to Bly. Smiling softly, Bly attached his Kama to the inside of Chopper's belt and moved around behind her. Shifting closer and finding his balance, Chopper took the ends of the belt and fastened it around Emily's waist, the pair working together to position the Kama properly.

Blinking in shock, Emily finally realised what her boys were up to. Each plate was marked with their name in neat black lettering along the bottom edge, a permanent reminder of their gift to her. She already felt safe in the bodysuit but the weight and close embrace of the armour made her feel totally secure and happy. They were claiming her, making their family official in their eyes. It was humbling for Emily, she knew how precious their armour was to each of them and here they were giving pieces to her.

A little less confident in their movements, Cody and Wolffe came forward, kneeling beside her and unwrapping their bundles. Looking down, Emily watched in awe as Wolffe slid his cuisse onto her right thigh as Cody matched him on her left. They moved back to make space for Hevy at her left and Jesse to the right. Obediently, Emily lifted her feet in turn, holding still as they slid their poleyn into place, rich blue covering both knees. Punch came forward next, kneeling and cradling her right calf in his hand as he secured his greave into place. Then he moved aside for Comet to fit the left greave, covering and protecting Emily's legs completely. Finishing off the group, Dogma approached and sat, helping to fit his boots to her feet.

Smiling warmly, Boost came up on her right, Kix on her left and together, they fitted spaulders to her shoulders, blue and grey carried equally. Droidbait took Boost's spot, Spitter replacing Kix and she was gifted with rerebraces, strong muscles slowly disappearing under scratched and dinged armour. Boil was next to come up on her right, Cutup mirroring him as the couters were slid up her arms and over her elbows. Sinker and Sketch were next, Sinker right and Sketch left. Holding out her arms, Emily accepted the vambraces willingly, finding so much comfort in the weight and strength of the well loved armour.

Turning slowly and getting a feel for the armour, Emily couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Everything felt so right and so very comfortable, coming together to completely enfold her in the love of her first sons. Facing her boys again, she smiled wider as Rex came forward, pauldron in his hands. Ducking her head, Emily crouched a little and relaxed as he positioned it correctly before returning to his spot on the couch.

Revealing his addition to the group gift, Fox crossed the room and offered out his bucket, the final piece of a full set of their armour. Still getting a feel for the armour, Emily sunk down to one knee, looking up at him expectantly. Nodding slowly, Fox spun his helmet in his hands and slid it over Emily's head before helping her up and checking the seal.

Thinking back over her memories of their armour, Emily realised she had a full set but there were still four brothers yet to give her something. A long, thin bundle over his shoulder, Gus stepped up and placed the bundle in her hands before pulling at the cloth. Reacting fast so she didn't drop whatever it was, Emily caught the spinning rifle and blinked, knocked flat by the presentation. They weren't just giving her protection, they were arming her for war as well.

Replacing Gus, Echo presented her with a smaller bundle, balancing it in one hand as he whipped the cover away and flipped the carbine towards her. Flicking her rifle into her left hand, Emily caught the carbine and looked it over before securing it to her belt like she'd been taught and shown by her dear boys. If she jumped in surprise at the next gift, no one called her on it. Gree had snuck around behind her and waited for Fives to finish his presentation before stepping right into Emily's personal space and slipping his pistols in Bly's holsters with a shake of his wrists. Chuckling softly, Emily dropped her hand to brush the butt of one pistol, reassuring her mind that she was fully armed for combat.

Lastly, 99 stood again and approached Emily in full armour, taking in the blending colours from helmet to greaves and back up again. Smiling at the look she achieved, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a shining gold medal on a blue and yellow ribbon. Turning it over in his hands, he looked up at her and nodded, satisfied with his gift.  
'Upon the successful completion of their initial training course, each clone is presented with their graduation medal. This was given to me by a dear friend who felt I deserved it, now I give it to you, in recognition of all your hard work. You've earned it, buir.' he explained, reaching up to magnetise it to her chestplate.

Humbled by the group gift, Emily reached up and removed her helmet, semi-familiar with the way the helmets worked. Tucking it under her arm like a good little soldier, Emily choked on her emotions, humbled and awed by what they'd done. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she managed a smile as a lone tear fell.  
'Just when I think you boys can't surprise me anymore, you come up with the goods all over again. I know how precious your armour is, I've heard your stories and taken onboard just how important each piece is to your survival. You honour me with these gifts and I will strive each day to live up to the stories told about your brothers and all you have survived because of these pieces.' she offered, amazed by how right and proper it felt to stand in front of her boys in their armour, carrying their love with her until they were reunited.

#~#~^~#~#

The day of their final parting dawned bright and clear, bringing soft smiles to faces drawn down by the knowledge of what this day would bring. Serving up their favourites for breakfast, Emily purposefully over catered, wanting to send her boys off with all the love she could show them before the end came. Tucking into a full cooked breakfast, the boys were quiet, not looking at the Jedi as they tried to come to terms with what this day would bring.

Each one washed their own dishes, making them shine and polishing them properly before returning them to the cupboard and heading upstairs to finish packing. Emily had provided them all with two suitcases and a big camping pack each, encouraging them to take whatever they wanted with them on their journey. The only restriction she placed was the insistence that the cats stayed. She would bring them when she made the journey to follow them.

Some of their selections surprised her but she said nothing, wanting her boys to make their own choices about what they took along on their next journey. In her own way, she was giving them their freedom, stepping back and watching them prepare to spread their wings and fly away. It hurt Emily to watch them packing and sorting out their possessions but she held back her tears, putting on a brave face and helping them with what they wanted to take.

Everything had to come together at the right time or their chance would be lost. Tonight, at midnight, a second transport from the cruiser was expected to land beyond the oak trees to pick up the LAAT/i, the Jedi and her boys, whisking them all away from her life until she was ready to follow them.

The bicycles were already lined up against the back of the house, leaning against each other until it was time to load them up for the ride back to the rightful home of the Jedi and clones. The helmets painted up to match their bikes were already upstairs, ready to be tucked safely among their clothes and the other toys and games the boys were taking with them. Paintball guns disassembled and packed away in the custom made cases, along with targets and extra ammunition. Decks of cards and board games, craft projects and soft toys, it was all packed away safely. Musical instruments were cleaned down and packed away in hard cases, locked away securely until the songs in the hearts of new musicians screamed to burst forth again. 

With so many pieces of their armour no longer available to them, the boys made the choice to pack their armour into their suitcases and packs, spreading out the weight and setting out their favourite civilian clothes to wear for the journey back to the war. They knew they could get replacement parts on the cruiser but they wanted to hold onto their discovered childhood for as long as possible.

#~#~^~#~#

By lunchtime, Emily grew tired of the dark mood over her boys and plugged her sound system into the speaker system she'd mounted to the house. Flicking through her music collection, she put six of her favourite albums into the stack and set it playing a totally random selection as she headed outside to cook lunch for her boys.

Singing along with the Celtic group as she flipped the burgers on the barbeque, she listened as he boys started coming back to life again, joining in with the music and opening up to one last big celebration. Picking up the beat of the songs, Echo started tapping at the table, the rhythms flowing through him and out again in a doubled beat from the speakers and his fingers. Leaving the table, several of the boys disappeared inside to get something, leaving behind a slowly growing festive atmosphere in favour of whatever they needed.

They came back a few minutes later and set several cases down on the deck, popping the catches and lifting out their instruments. Stepping down from the deck and finding a spot, Fives weaved into the voices and beat, so talented with his violin as he swayed with the music. Then Rex joined in, perching on the corner of the big picnic table as his fingers caressed his guitar, adding another depth to the music wrapping around the group. Running out his power cord, Waxer settled on the stairs leading off the deck and listened to the music for a few minutes before diving in and sending his fingers dancing across the keyboard. Gathering with their musical brothers, Cody added a second guitar and Spitter joined with Fives, violins singing in harmony. Settling opposite Echo, Sinker joined in on the base rhythm, finding his own notes on the table to complement the music.

Getting to his feet, Tup lifting his chin and let it happen, rising up over the backing music with a voice as sweet as the angels above. It had taken weeks of coaxing from Emily to get him to even try but now, he was a confident vocalist, trying out any song and working until he had it right. Coming up beside Tup, Boil smiled softly and joined him in song, voices rising together to join Emily's. They couldn't match her range but they added the bass that she couldn't give.

Chasing Emily away from the barbeque, Chopper found his balance and took over the care of the food as Dogma took Emily's hand and pulled her into a fast dance. Throwing her head back, Emily laughed freely again, whirling around with Dogma and letting all her stress fly away. Spinning again, she couldn't have been happier or safer than she was right now, arms around Dogma's shoulders as they moved to the growing beat. The pain slipped away as they turned again, at peace and relaxed at long last.

Tapping Dogma on the shoulder, Comet swooped in and stole Emily from his younger brother, leading her across the grass with the confidence of a professional dancer. Relaxing into his lead, Emily smiled as she danced with him, sharp ears picking up a third voice in the chorus. Glancing back over her shoulder, she saw Boost with Tup and Boil, a beautiful trio as the song changed from fast to slow. Sighing softly, she pressed closer to Comet and relaxed, letting him take her through a slow, romantic dance.

Setting up on the deck, Droidbait hooked a suitable stool and jumped into the next song, his new cello filling another gap in the magic flowing around the family. Not feeling up to unpacking his drum kit again, Punch only had his bodhran in easy reach but as soon as he found his opening, he was in with the band, formalising the percussion line and anchoring the songs.

A little shy about his gift, Hevy showed he wasn't as tough as people thought as he joined the fun. Revealing his gift, he swung into the movement of his brothers, forgetting all about everything except the wild dancing and the high voice of his flute. Breaking away from Comet, Emily smiled and slipped into orbit around him, picking up the words and carrying them higher as she danced merrily. Matching Emily's steps, Cutup threw another voice into the harmony, training and practise allowing him to cover a slightly different range to his brothers. Accepting the reaching hand, Emily kept pushing the song higher as they danced around the gathering, Cutup's childish delight bringing out Emily's youthful side.

As much as he hated to interrupt, Chopper knew better than to let the food burn. Waiting for a pause in the music, he whistled sharply, bringing the focus of the family to him. Drawing away from Cutup, Emily slipped through the group to reclaim control of the barbeque, serving up the meal and setting it out on the table.  
'Come and eat boys, we'll continue the party later. We'll make this an afternoon we'll never forget, so come and fill your bellies, dear boys.' she called, setting the last tray of burgers on the table and moving back as her boys ran to enjoy lunch.

#~#~^~#~#

The party lasted until the last glimmers of sunshine had disappeared below the horizon. Sore of foot and light of heart, they sang and danced the time away, the talented musicians in the family taking turns to boost the music so everyone got a chance to whirl Emily across the grass, showing her just how cultured and civilised they had become. So proud of each of them, Emily ignored her aching feet and sore back to take another spin with Gree, bouncing with the fast drinking song. Flying from his embrace, she landed safely in Wolffe's arms and spun away again, joining in with the chorus as they flattened the grass under their bare feet.

Finally the party wound down, the music fading away and the dancers pausing to catch their breath as a cool breeze rustled the leaves. Putting their instruments back in their cases and finding their shoes across the grass, the family filed inside to finish packing and prepare for the final goodbye. Warning the Jedi with a look, Emily headed upstairs to help with the packing, needing to spend as much time as possible with her darling boys.

She knew just where she was needed most of all, turning off at the first landing and entering the first bedroom. Sketch, Jester and Punch were all busy finalising their own gear while Gus and Chopper were doing their best to keep up, working together to deal with Gus' gear first. Smiling softly at the pile of luggage and belongings on Chopper's bed, Emily crossed the room and got stuck in, moving all his possessions to the side and starting to pack for him.  
'We were getting there buir.' Chopper flushed, watching how quickly Emily folded and packed his clothes. 'Between us, we're managing.'  
'I don't doubt that, ner ade, but a little extra help can't hurt.' Emily shrugged, making it look so easy as she snugged his chosen toys and games in among his clothes, sorting it out as she went to make sure the cases were evenly loaded and the pack wouldn't tear from the burden inside.

Watching the way Emily packed, the rest of the Squad emptied their cases and started again, trying to match what she was doing. But by the time they were ready to follow, she was just about done with Chopper's gear, a few odd shaped pieces left. Rearranging a few things and stuffing several pairs of boxers into his helmet, Emily got everything to fit and double-checked everything was in the cases.  
'I think that's everything Chop.' she grinned, stretching out her back.  
'Apart from my travelling clothes and what I'm wearing now, yeah.' Chopper nodded, scanning her efforts quickly.  
'Well, you go get changed and ready to go while I finish up in here.' Emily coaxed, draping his clean jeans and white t-shirt over his shoulder as he stood and found his balance.  
'vor'e buir.' he grinned, heading for the door.

Letting her mind go blank, Emily turned her attention to Gus' luggage, flying through the neat piles of clothes, armour, toys and games waiting for him. Packing out the shapes and juggling the pieces, she made it all fit without too much effort. Grabbing his travelling clothes, Gus headed for the bathroom to change so Emily could pack his dirty clothes in with the rest of his special things.  
'Go on boys, I'll finish up in here. While I'm packing this lot up, why don't you three start taking Punch's drum kit outside onto the back deck. It'll all be perfectly safe out there.' she suggested, creating a spot for Gus to put his dirty clothes.  
'Elek buir.' Sketch nodded, herding his brothers from the room.

#~#~^~#~#

Luggage lined up on the back deck, everything tagged with the owner and ready for transfer onto the transport when it arrived, Emily called her darling boys into the living room again and leant against the wall calmly as they gathered, settling on the floor and couches as they normally did. Waiting for them all to settle, Emily pushed off the wall and cleared her throat, trying not to fall apart in front of her boys.  
'Our time grows short, dear boys. But before we are forced to say one last goodbye until the time comes for us to stand together again, I have something special for each of you. You each gave of your lives to mark me as part of your family, now it is my turn to mark you as mine. No matter what happens, you will always be my first sons, the boys I love above all others.' she offered, eyes moistening but she held back her tears. '99, you first.'

Humbled to be selected first, 99 stood and approached, wondering what was so precious about the small case in Emily's hands.  
'I earned this many years ago, when I served with courage, honour and dignity in the military of this great country. To earn this is to be marked as someone who went above and beyond the call of duty, rising far above expectations and standing alone as a true hero. I am proud to be one such person, one of only a few women to have such an honour and a survivor of the brave deed done to earn such an accolade. I want you to have it, you've gone above and beyond anything I ever expected from you time and time again.' she explained, opening the case to reveal the Medal of Honour she'd told the boys about.  
'Buir, you honour me with this. I'll take good care of it, I promise.' 99 gasped, deeply awed to be the one chosen to carry such a priceless memory of Emily.  
'You are worthy 99.' Emily reassured him, leaning in to kiss his forehead. 'Bly, you're next.'

Calling her boys forward in alphabetical order, Emily scattered her military history to them all, breaking down her uniforms and giving what felt right to each one. Bly got her USMC ring, the heavy ring a perfect fit for him. Boil seemed surprised to be given her old Gunslinger pack, a symbol of her favoured MOS. Boost proudly pinned her EGA insignia to his shirt, unable to wear it on his collar like Emily did but it was close enough. Smiling softly at Chopper, she pinned one of her many Purple Hearts' to his chest, proving just how much she respected his scars. Cody didn't understand why Emily handed him a neatly folded camouflage shirt but when he unfolded it and saw her name above the pocket, he understood. Comet held her white dress cover gently in both hands, recognising it was something very special to her. Cutup accepted a neatly folded t-shirt, USMC printed in big black letters on the front.

Everyone had a laugh when she pinned her Good Conduct Medal to Dogma's chest, explaining what it meant and how she'd earned it. Droidbait couldn't help but admire the knife placed in his hands, checking the edge of the KA-BAR and falling in love with it. It took Echo a few minutes to sort out the ILBE load bearing equipment Emily gave him but once he got it, he felt like he could carry the galaxy without getting tired. Looking at the badges in his hand, Fives knew he had a lot to live up to if he was ever going to be worthy of these indications of expert skill with rifle and pistol. Gazing at the neatly folded tunic in his hands, Fox finally understood just how good Emily was as a soldier, the chest well covered with ribbons and medals.

The small pin in his hands didn't weigh much but that was just perfect for Gree. He could carry Emily's parachutist insignia with him everywhere, a constant reminder of her ability to fly into a battlefield. His gift more practical, Gus accepted the rolled up seabag and traced his fingers over the details written on it, marking it as Emily's bag. Giving no sign that he was startled by the weight of his gift, Hardcase wrapped his hands under the well abused body armour, noting the combat damage all over it. Hevy's gift showed even more combat damage, the old helmet well scarred and dented in a few places.

Running the crisp white webbing belt through his hands, Jesse used the hem of his shirt to polish the golden buckle, a silent promise to always respect Emily's legacy. Laughing at the gift placed in his hands, Jester undid the buckle and pulled out a folded shovel, briefly wondering if this could dig him out of trouble as his brothers laughed at the gift, thinking similar thoughts. Her gift to Kix was a reminder to never forget the simple techniques she'd taught him, a reminder he was happy to have as he opened up the medical kit and started going through it.

Standing perfectly still as Emily showed him how to wear the camouflage coloured cap properly, Punch had a feeling the cap was something special but exactly why, he couldn't be sure. It matched the shirt Cody had been given, pulling them together as sons of a great woman. Fingers curling around the sheathed blade, Rex lifted the dress sword from Emily's hands and turned it over before drawing it smoothly, all eyes drawn to the fine blade.

Stepping up once Rex put the sword away, Sinker took the olive drab shirt from Emily's hands, turning it to look at the rank insignia on the sleeves before his eyes were drawn to the name badge on the chest. These weren't just random gifts, each and every piece was part of her serving history. Next to approach, Sketch wasn't sure what to make of the strangely shaped pack Emily held out to him. But once she'd helped him strap it on and clipped the mouthpiece to his collar, he realised what it was. This was the hydration pack that turned up in some of the photos from her past, keeping her going through the worst of conditions. Spitter easily recognised his gift, having seen Emily use it on several occasions. The Sidewinder Hand Held Flash Light fit easily in his hand, bringing Emily right into his life.

Hoping Emily didn't notice how his hands were shaking, Tup approached and waited for her to pick something up to give him. Instead, her hands went to her collar, lifting out a warm ball-chain and then her dogtags, the most basic symbol of a soldier. Cradling the steel tags in her hands for a moment, Emily reached out and slipped the chain over Tup's head, marking him as her chosen son to carry her true identity through their galaxy.

Pushing aside his jealousy towards Tup for being the favourite son, Waxer stepped forward and accepted the camouflage pants Emily had picked up. Noticing a stain that didn't belong, he unfolded the pants and stretched out the left leg, the faded bloodstain running right down to the knee. Looking back at Emily, he realised how it all fitted together and smiled, refolding the pants and returning to his spot.

Last to leave his spot, Wolffe felt the small weight of two pins hit his hand and looked at them closely, noting that they looked very similar to the insignia on the shirts that she'd given to his brothers. Trusting his own instincts for wearing the pins, he attached them to his collar, easily ignoring the discomfort of the metal digging into his skin as he returned to his spot.

Looking around at her boys again, each one cradling a precious reminder of her military life, Emily smiled softly as the tears fell, everything snapping into sharp focus. Soon she would be alone again, the house to never again ring with laughter as young men found their youth again and enjoyed the peace and safety of her home.  
'Carry my name with pride, my darling boys. Hold your heads high and know that I love you so much. You are my treasures, my precious sons and I wish you the very best of luck with whatever the future holds for you. Be strong, we will be reunited again one day. Until that day, fight with honour, live the best lives you can and never forget what I have taught you over these last 18 months. You don't have to hide your new talents and hobbies, let them shine forth and share my story so all your brothers can be ready for my arrival. Teach them as I taught you, open the door for my love and let every brother know I am coming to give back what was stolen.' she smiled softly, gaze drifting over her boys as they thought about what she'd said. 'Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum ner ade.'  
'We love you too buir.' Fox replied, speaking for 28 as he looked up at Emily.  
'All that you have asked, we will do.' Gree added, the promise easy to make.  
'Good boys. Go and pack your gifts away safely, my memory will live through all of you.' Emily insisted, moving out of the way as he boys filed out towards the back deck to secure their presents from the one woman who truly cared.

Waiting for the last of her boys to leave, Emily turned her gaze to the Jedi, eyes flashing fire as she traced the multi-coloured necklace at her throat. Made by Fox's talented fingers, the strands each carried a different pattern and colour, solidifying her connection to so many men in sparkling glass and metal.  
'It shouldn't be hard for a group like you to figure out what I'm thinking but I'll say it anyway. All I ask is that you give your best to keeping my boys safe from harm. They are so young, still learning about the world around them but they are forced to put their childhood away and grow up before their time. You have seen how precious each one is to me, you have watched them bloom into new people and find a balance between childhood and combat readiness and you have heard them promise to carry my name and deeds to all their brothers. I know I cannot keep my boys safe, even after I have made the jump into your galaxy. But you can. I don't have the right to ask but I will anyway, because I believe that you are good people. Take care of my boys, see them thorough the battles and try to keep them safe. They are just clones in your eyes, this I know but I also know that you care about their safety. Please, share my request with your fellow Jedi and let my sons know that they are worth protecting.' she was close to begging, determined to do everything she could to keep her boys safe in a dangerous galaxy.  
'Be at peace Emily, we will do all we can to protect your sons from harm. But war is harsh, people we care about are lost every day. All we can do is try.' Kit replied, hands resting on her shoulders as he spoke.  
'That's all I can ask for, Master Fisto. I just hope that at least some of my dear boys are still alive when I make the transition from my home here to your galaxy.' Emily nodded, drawing away slowly and heading for the door. 'Every life is sacred.'  
'That's the message we hope to pass to all Jedi.' Koon added, watching Emily walk away to rejoin her boys for the last hour together. 'I just hope everyone else will listen.'  
'We can only try, Master Koon.' Obi-Wan offered, wondering how hard it would be to keep his eight safe until Emily rejoined them.

#~#~^~#~#

Breaking through the inky darkness of the moonless night, the graceful lines of a Pelta-class Frigate eased down beyond the oaks, landing right where the LAAT/i had been sitting before Pulse and River moved it out of the way. Now they brought it back in close, using new tricks learned from their brothers and a few pieces of kit from the cruiser to secure their gunship to the hull where it would be safe for the trip back to the cruiser overhead.

Glancing back at Emily sadly, the boys started carrying their luggage over to the frigate, checking ID tags and trying to keep everything in order. Striding off the frigate, dozens more helped to carry everything up the ramp, also checking tags and calling out locations where everything could be stored. Letting her boys stand on their own two feet, Emily hung back and watched them treading the grass, lugging bags, cases and everything else to the ramp for loading. Much to her surprise, the Jedi joined in with the moving, grabbing whatever was next to go and carrying it over to the ramp.

Gradually the piles around Emily shrank to nothing, everything lugged up the ramp and secured inside the massive vessel. Only now did Emily leave her spot on the deck, running across the grass and weaving between the trees to reach her boys again. Stopping at the foot of the ramp, she wiped away the tears on her cheeks and looked around at her dear boys, everyone attentive to whatever she was going to say.

But there were no words to ease the pain in her heart anymore. Struggling with her emotions, she opened her arms to whoever would come to her embrace. Pushing and shoving, Wolffe managed to be the first, enfolding Emily in his arms and softly rubbing her back.  
'Don't cry, buir, please. We'll be okay, you don't have to worry about us. A year isn't long, well be together again before you know.' he soothed, holding tight to his mother.  
'I'll always worry about you Wolffe, that's part of being a mother.' Emily replied, drawing away slowly and wiping her eyes. 'I'll miss you Wolffe.'  
'I'll miss you too, buir.' Wolffe sighed, leaning in to brush a soft kiss across her forehead as he held her hands. 'Ret'urcye mhi, buir. Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum.' he offered, drawing away and heading up the ramp. He didn't disappear from sight, rather he waited about half way up, watching his brothers say goodbye to Emily.

Everyone was silent as the lucky 28 took their turns to say one last, heartfelt goodbye to the woman that had given them so much and asked for nothing in return. Tears flowed freely, well known hero brothers putting aside their reputations to be young boys one more time, soaking her shoulder as she held them. Those who hadn't been fortunate enough to know her love just watched, confused about what was going on but not willing to push for information just yet.

Chuckling when her mental count went from 28 to 30, Emily could only hope that her shortened time with Pulse and River was enough for them to start on the path to regaining their childhoods as well. She hadn't been able to give them everything but she had a feeling they were in safe hands when Bly slipped into older brother mode for them. Then the count went up to 31 and she laughed, not really surprised that Tup had come around for another hug, reluctant to leave her side after so long under her care. Coming back down the ramp, Rex caught Tup when Emily released him and gently guided his youngest brother under his arm, keeping him safe as they headed up the ramp.  
'Ret'urcye mhi ner ade. Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum ner ade.' Emily called, turning to face her dear boys all lined up on the ramp. 'Wherever you go, know that I am thinking of you and counting the days until we are reunited. Sleep soundly in the knowledge that I love you, so very much. You will always be my first sons, no matter what.' she continued, looking up at her boys with such pride.  
'Ret'urcye mhi cuun buir. Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum, cuun buir.' they replied, united and trying to be strong even as they were falling apart inside.

Reluctantly, the men turned and headed into the ship, older brothers gently coaxing the younger men to follow. Hiding her face behind one hand, Emily moved back under the nearest tree and watched her boys file inside, sad eyes seeking her out in the darkness. Digging in his pocket, Spitter pulled out the torch Emily had given him and clicked it on, illuminating the area before lighting up her position. Smiling softly, Emily raised one hand in farewell, managing a proud smile before the light flicked out and the boys disappeared from view.

Resisting the urge to sprint up the ramp and rejoin her family, Emily pressed her back to the tree and let the tears fall as she watched the Jedi file inside to put her boys through unknown hell. As much as she wanted to join them, she knew it was time to let them go on their own. She had to believe that the Jedi would respect her request and take care of the clones until she could get through and step up to protect them. She already knew that her sons wouldn't stand for the Jedi abusing their basic rights anymore, they would fight for their needs if they had to.


	10. Getting Up Again

Lifting his head when the cruiser finally stopped trying to shake apart, Rex pointedly ignored the stunned looks from Admiral Yularen and the Jedi as he uncurled and pushed off the floor, straightening his shirt and looking around.  
'Uh…vode? You up there?' Wolffe called, down in the left bridge pit.  
'I've got you Wolffe.' Rex grinned, kneeling and reaching down to give Wolffe a hand out.  
'Up you come Wolffe.' Gree added, helping to haul Wolffe back up onto the deck.  
'Well, at least I don't feel so stupid now.' Bly teased, squirming out from under a command console and brushing himself off.  
'Okay, so I'm a little out of practise with this.' Wolffe shrugged, checking his pockets then looking down. 'Hey! Get your nose outta my notebook!' he snapped, glaring at the unfortunate crewmember reading his latest story.  
'Sorry Commander.' he replied, holding up the book and pen for Wolffe to take.  
'Hey! Little help here.' Cody called, halfway out of the right pit but he couldn't quite make it out on his own.  
'Whoops, sorry Cody. Didn't see you down there.' Fox grinned, walking over and hauling Cody out of the pit by the belt.  
'Sir, you dropped this.' another bridge crewmember called, stretching up from the right pit just as Cody got to his feet.  
'Thank you vod.' Cody nodded, accepting back his pick case and checking the contents before tucking it back in his pocket.

Checking the rest of their possessions, the top six straightened their shirts and stepped up to stand with the Jedi, finding their feet on the vibrating deck and swinging back into action.  
'Perhaps you need some time on a ground post, Rex.' Anakin suggested, shooting Rex a look.  
'Uh, no, Sir. I'll get it back; I'm just a little out of practise. A few days and you'll never know we were missing from the ranks.' Rex replied, grimacing at the thought of a ground posting.  
'Ah, the ground based assignments ain't so bad Rex. Can be boring as fuck but that can be useful.' Fox shrugged, brushing the golden amulet at his throat.  
'You can have it Fox. Putting Hevy and Hardcase on a ground site would mean taking away their Z-6's and that's only going to make them harder to keep occupied.' Rex shot back, thinking of just how troublesome his boys could be if not kept properly occupied.  
'Speaking of occupying the vode, I should go check on the 212th boys. Chopper and Gus are determined to keep their casts the required three months.' Cody nodded, turning and heading for the exit. 'Unless you need something General.' he added, still making the transition back to a proper senior clone officer.  
'Not right now Cody but next time, try to remember that you're not in Chicago anymore.' Obi-Wan nodded, shooting Cody a warning look.  
'Yes General Kenobi.' Cody acknowledged, turning and running from the bridge.  
'I've got a feeling those two are going to keep Cody busy for quite a while. If he's not keeping them out of trouble, he'll be keeping the medical team from doing anything about their casts and combat unreadiness.' Bly smirked, scratching behind his ear quickly.  
'Cody will make it blatantly clear to any medic that those two are to be left alone. It'll be war in the ranks if any medic tries to push them to lose the casts and take a bacta bath.' Wolffe agreed, flipping his notebook open to the back and scratching out a sudden idea that bit him hard.  
'I guess we'll all have to jump in on that one to make sure word spreads fast about those two. Get as many medics to back off as we can. It's the medical droids we're gonna have to watch for. Those tinnies won't take no for an answer and they'll sedate them if they try to fight.' Gree shrugged, flipping out one of his whittling knives and cleaning under his fingernails.  
'Aw hell, I forgot all about those damn tinnies.' Rex groaned, shaking his head slowly.  
'I'll deal with it; you're back on the roster. Technically I've got no Jedi assignment, I'm a Senate Guard.' Fox directed, spinning and running from the bridge.  
'Some guys have all the luck.' Rex and Gree both uttered, earning snorts of laugher from Bly and Wolffe at the double meaning.  
'Something on your mind, Captain?' Kit asked, turning to regard the giggling group.  
'No, Sir. It's Fox's motto. Some guys have all the luck. He's got it tattooed across his back and across the back of his bucket. He's jealous that we get to have all the fun out trashing klankers while he's stuck on Coruscant guarding politicians.' Bly shrugged, quickly wiping the grin off his face.  
'Perhaps it would be beneficial if you four went and got into your armour. You're not quite acting like you should.' Koon suggested, most of his attention on Wolffe.  
'Might be a problem there Sir, we're missing a few pieces. As I'm sure you remember, we donated a set to buir.' Wolffe replied, no trace of shame in his features.  
'You four are dismissed.' Luminara instructed, not looking at the quartet behind her.  
'Yes, Sir.' they replied, turning and running from the bridge.

#~#~^~#~#

Hitting the deck, Dogma slid under the wing of Skywalker's fighter and rolled, popping up to nail Hevy in the head with a quick three round burst. Dropping back behind the crates he was using for cover, Hevy couldn't stop laughing as he wiped off his mask. Technically he was dead but this game wasn't about rules, it was all about having a great time and starting to find a new balance in their lives.

Perched up on one of the gunships, Chopper might not have been fit for real combat but he was perfectly capable of resting up here and sniping anyone who came near him. Stretched out beside him, Gus was doing the best he could, gun resting on his cast as he scanned for targets. They both spotted Cody coming in through a side door, mask in place and paintball gun raised. Whipping their sights around, Chopper and Gus opened fire together, nailing Cody in the head and chest before he scrambled for cover behind another gunship.

Popping up from behind a V-19, Gree let fly with three paint grenades, listening to the surprised yelps from his brothers as he ducked out of range again. He certainly wasn't expecting the return fire to splatter against his shins, the bright red paint indicating the shooter. Poking his head out again, Gree sighted down the hanger and squeezed the trigger, peppering Fox in the back when he tried to make a run for it.

Taking the chance, Wolffe jumped up and opened fire, nailing Domino Squad smoothly as they tried to find new cover. He took a pounding from Domino, his already stained uniform disappearing under a thick layer of blue paint. But the distraction worked perfectly. Bursting from their positions, the rest of the Wolfpack turned Domino grey, covering their masks and chests with quite a few welts. Popping up again, Wolffe launched a grenade into the middle of the group, washing them with another layer of grey.

Then came the greatest surprise. Rex came running in from the bow end, firing hard as he ran down the hanger. Suddenly he went down, shot in the head by a purple round. Everyone froze, weapons up as they scanned for the extra shooter in the hanger. One by one they were picked and splashed with purple, still seeking the mystery shooter in the chaos.  
'High walkway, stern end!' Jesse called, returning fire before he went down to a throat shot.  
'I knew that extra paintball armour was a good idea.' Kix mused, dragging Jesse out of danger and popping up to return fire on the called location.

Showing just how much he'd learned from Emily, 99 kept his cool and continued firing, his position a perfect sniper nest. Protected from below by solid durasteel, above by the same and in front by fall protection, it was damn hard to get a shot on him as he hugged the rear wall and worked hard to prove that he was a capable sniper. Every time someone stuck their head out, he took the shot, rationing out his ammo and taking out as many as he could before he surrendered.

Taking a hit to the back of the head, Tup got back up and leapt for cover behind another gunship. Poking his head around the door, he narrowly avoided another shot, scrambling back behind cover before he was hit.  
'Cover fire!' Dogma roared, breaking cover as his brothers popped up and converged their fire around 99's position. Sprinting down the hanger, Dogma pulled out his only grenade and kept running, dodging and weaving through the purple storm focused on him. Getting into range, he cocked his arm back and let fly, the blue ball of paint flying straight and true to smash into the barrier right in front of 99.

Letting out a cry of shock, 99 took the full wave in the face, blanking out his mask and scope.  
'Alright, alright! You got me clear!' 99 called, using the railing to help him regain his feet.  
'Nicely done Dogma! That's sticking it to the sniper.' Rex praised, grunting when he took another shot to the head. 'Hey! You're meant to be dead 99!'  
'If we were playing by the rules, I'd be the last man standing.' 99 shot back, heading for the nearest ladder down.  
'He's got a point there.' Cody nodded, pulling his mask up and reaching inside his shirt for the cleanup towel he'd cached before combat.

They all snapped around when someone cleared their throat behind them. Their motion splattered more paint across the floor but honestly, they were still high on adrenaline and barely noticed the extra mess. But their highs quickly vanished when they were confronted with Admiral Yularen and the Jedi, none of them particularly thrilled by the mess in the hanger.  
'I do hope your behaviour will improve Captain.' Yularen remarked, looking around at the rainbow of paint across the walls.  
'In time, but don't expect anyone touched by the love of our buir to ever go back to their old ways. We'll always find time for fun and games.' Rex shrugged, shouldering his rifle and scratching at some dried green pain in his hair.  
'Told you we should have gone down to the lower areas and dug our bicycles out of storage.' Wolffe sighed, glancing at Gree with a smirk.  
'We can do that tomorrow. But everyone can get involved with paintball. Gus, Chopper and 99 are off the line for riding.' Cody corrected, scrubbing his towel through his hair.  
'Not true, Cody. Buir got me a special bike that I can ride. It only arrived the day before we left but I know I can manage it.' 99 corrected, wiping the paint from his eyes.  
'I do not care. Clean it up, immediately.' Yularen demanded, spinning on his heel and stalking away from the mess.  
'Really wish I'd thought to pack some extra paintball guns, I can think of a few brothers that would really enjoy this.' Fox mused, looking around at the brightly decorated hanger.  
'We'd best get this cleaned up before the Admiral really flips out.' Fives sighed, wondering how long it would take to clean up the hanger.  
'Best to get cleaned up ourselves first. We'll only be leaving more paint behind if we don't.' Waxer suggested, looking at the paint slowly dripping off his arms.  
'The Admiral will really do his block if we go wandering through this ship like this.' Rex countered, undoing his shirt and peeling it off. 'Unless you want an eye full of clones in their underwear, I suggest you leave, Sirs.' he added, hands falling to his belt.  
'Rex!' Anakin warned, missing Rex's meaning.  
'Sir, we can't clean the hanger without getting changed, or we'll just make a bigger mess. We can't go back to our quarters dressed like this or we'll leave a trail of paint everywhere. I've got no body issues left, Army life will do that, so I'm making the best of a bad situation.' Rex shrugged, sheltering behind his brothers as he dropped his pants and bundled them up in his shirt before tightening his boots and making a run for it in his boxers, paint-smeared clothes held to his chest.  
'Just get this mess cleaned up.' Obi-Wan instructed, shaking his head in wonder as they left the hanger to give the men some privacy.

#~#~^~#~#

Knowing that their time together was running out, the Chicago 28 took over the second rec room, chasing everyone else out as they switched off the holoscreens and set up their equipment. They had no doubt their brothers would report this to the Jedi or the Admiral but they didn't care. This was one of the last chances they had to play as a full group before they went back to their regular duties.

Sure enough, just as they were finishing with the setting up, the Admiral and the Jedi appeared in the doorway, watching the group closely. They paid their audience no mind though, tuning their instruments and getting comfortable. They'd cleared the furniture out of the way, stacking it all up against the walls to make space for those who showed a talent for dance.  
'Now what are they up to?' Yularen asked, looking to the Jedi for answers since the clones weren't paying any mind to their audience.  
'Seven Drunken Nights!' 99 called, perched on a stool comfortably, accordion resting on one knee in readiness.

Before anyone could answer him, the band kicked into action, starting with the guitars and accordion before everyone jumped into the music and kicked up a song. Relaxed and happy, they played in harmony, filling the room and corridor with their joyful song. Then Boost jumped into the song as well, belting out the lyrics.

As I went home on Monday night as drunk as drunk could be   
I saw a horse outside the door where my old horse should be   
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me   
Who owns that horse outside the door where my old horse should be? 

Voices in harmony, everyone joined in with the chorus, Cutup, Dogma and Comet whirling around in time with the music and making use of the available dance space.

Ah, you're drunk,   
You're drunk you silly old fool,   
Still you can not see   
That's a lovely sow that me mother sent to me   
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more   
But a saddle on a sow sure I never saw before 

Picking up the solo, Boil carried the song into the next verse, standing off to the side and clapping his hands with the beat of the music.

And as I went home on Tuesday night as drunk as drunk could be   
I saw a coat behind the door where my old coat should be   
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me   
Who owns that coat behind the door where my old coat should be 

Ah, you're drunk,   
You're drunk you silly old fool,   
Still you can not see   
That's a woollen blanket that me mother sent to me   
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more   
But buttons in a blanket sure I never saw before 

Skipping around with Dogma, Tup threw the song forward into the next day, purposefully stumbling and slurring his words just a little. Reacting to the music and lyrics, Dogma caught Tup and held him up through the verse.

And as I went home on Wednesday night as drunk as drunk could be   
I saw a pipe up on the chair where my old pipe should be   
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me   
Who owns that pipe up on the chair where my old pipe should be 

Ah, you're drunk,   
You're drunk you silly old fool,   
Still you can not see   
That's a lovely tin whistle that me mother sent to me   
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more   
But tobacco in a tin whistle sure I never saw before 

Then it was Jesse, slurring his words even more and really stumbling but Kix and Hardcase were there to hold him up and provide the right day when he got hooked up in his "drunken" state and forgot what day they were up to.

And as I went home on Thursday night as drunk as drunk could be   
I saw two boots beneath the bed where my old boots should be   
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me   
Who owns them boots beneath the bed where my old boots should be 

Ah, you're drunk,   
You're drunk you silly old fool,   
Still you can not see   
They're two lovely Geranium pots me mother sent to me   
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more   
But laces in Geranium pots I never saw before 

Still dancing around and staying in step with Dogma and Comet, Cutup took the next verse, rolling his R's and staggering before Comet caught him under the arms and held him upright to get through the verse.

And as I went home on Friday night as drunk as drunk could be   
I saw a head upon the bed where my old head should be   
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me   
Who owns that head upon the bed where my old head should be 

Ah, you're drunk,   
You're drunk you silly old fool,   
Still you can not see   
That's a baby boy that me mother sent to me   
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more   
But a baby boy with his whiskers on sure I never saw before 

Sitting up straighter, Cody belted out the next verse, still playing his guitar as he weaved on his stool and took the song from cheeky into down right disrespectful territory but they were having too much fun to care about their audience's reaction.

And as I went home on Saturday night as drunk as drunk could be   
I saw two hands upon her breasts where my old hands should be   
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me   
Who owns them hands upon your breasts where my old hands should be 

Ah, you're drunk,   
You're drunk you silly old fool,   
Still you can not see   
That's a lovely night gown that me mother sent to me   
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more   
But fingers in a night gown sure I never saw before 

Staggering off his stool, Rex took up the last verse and gave it his best, outstripping Cody's foul verse with one that was even more disturbing but it was all in good fun. Playing the drunken fool without dropping a single note from the lyrics or the music, he proved he was a master musician.

As I went home on Sunday night as drunk as drunk could be   
I saw a thing in her thing where my old thing should be   
Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me   
Who owns that thing in your thing where my old thing should be 

Ah, you're drunk,   
You're drunk you silly old fool,   
Still you can not see   
That's a lovely tin whistle that me mother sent to me   
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more   
But hair on a tin whistle sure I never saw before

Winding up the song, they laughed and prepared for another song but their attention was drawn to the dark looks from the Jedi, particularly Aayla and Luminara.  
'If you don't like the music we were taught, you don't have to listen.' Hevy shrugged, starting a high little trill with his flute and leading them into another song.  
'Hevy's got a point, we didn't learn music to please the Jedi. We learned because we wanted to understand.' Cody agreed, adjusting his seat and picking up the beat from Echo.

#~#~^~#~#

The fun and games over for the night, Wolffe, Cody and Rex turned their attention to their sleepy younger brothers, herding them off to bed. Rex had it easy, his boys already had bunks onboard so settling them was easy. Wolffe and Cody had to work harder to find empty rooms for their boys, trying to keep everyone together. In the end Rex stepped in and did a reshuffle of a few bunkrooms, making space for the rest of the boys.

Bly, Gree and Fox stepped in to help as well, tucking in their younger brothers and making sure everyone was settling back into their proper routine. A quick story, stuffed toys held tight and one extra gentle hug goodnight, solidifying the fact that their change in location wouldn't take away the new joy in their lives.

Careful of where he put his feet, Rex braced against the top bunk and pulled the blanket up over Tup, softly singing a sweet lullaby as he tucked him in safely.  
'ori'vod, do you think we'll ever see buir again?' Tup uttered, burrowing deeper under the blankets with his toy cat.  
'Elek vod'ika, I truly believe that we'll see buir again.' Rex nodded, fingers running through Tup's hair softly. 'K'uur now, vod'ika. It's time for sleep.'  
'I miss her already.' Tup confessed, leaning into Rex's gentle hold a little more.  
'So do I, Tup, so do I.' Rex admitted, drawing his younger brother into a soft hug.  
'Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum ori'vod.' Tup yawned, closing his eyes slowly.  
'Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum vod'ika.' Rex replied, waiting a moment for Tup to be right out before climbing down and checking that Dogma was still sleeping peacefully.

Not really surprised to find Ahsoka waiting outside the bunkroom, Rex covered a yawn and headed for his own room, glancing back to check Ahsoka was following him.  
'What's on your mind littl'un?' he asked, automatically shortening his stride so she could keep up.  
'I'm just wondering when we'll get the old Rex back.' Ahsoka shrugged, falling into place beside him just like she'd always done.  
'Don't think you'll ever get him back. I've learned too much during that side trip to Chicago, this is the Rex you're stuck with now.' he replied, brushing the blue and gold amulet at his throat.  
'I'm not sure I like this new Rex. He can't seem to help but annoy the Admiral.' Ahsoka remarked, trying to go back to the way things used to be.  
'Things will settle a bit once we're all back in the combat but we'll always hold onto what we've learned. Regardless of what the Admiral or the Jedi think, I'll never let go of my music, art or culture. I severely doubt any of the other boys will either, not while we don't know for sure if buir will follow us through the rift.' Rex chuckled, spotting Fox and Gree wandering towards them. 'I'm dreaming of a White Christmas. Just like the ones I used to know.'

Swapping looks, Gree and Fox cracked up laughing, looking down at their striped jackets. Both were mostly white, one striped with red and the other green.  
'Where the treetops glisten and children listen, to hear sleighbells in the snow.' Gree sang back, able to at least carry a tune better than Fox.  
'I'll miss sitting down for Christmas dinner with the family.' Fox sighed, smiling softly at the memories of Christmas in Chicago. 'Hell, I'll miss the holiday season.'  
'I hear ya there vod. But we'll always have the presents and the memories.' Rex nodded, glancing down at Ahsoka. 'And maybe, if enough brothers are interested, we can start our own festive traditions. Anything we start won't be as special as what we shared with buir but I reckon it'll still be good.'  
'Admit it, you just like reading The Night Before Christmas to attentive youngsters.' Gree smirked, relaxing back against the wall comfortably.  
'When your juniors really get a grasp of what we understand, they'll be clamouring for big brother Gree to read them bedtime stories too. Trust me, it's hard to get a Squad to agree on a bedtime story, I'm dreading when all of Torrent Company gets the idea, story time will really be a challenge then.' Rex chuckled, already wondering how he'd keep the peace.  
'At least you have a few younger brothers to help spread the message. How am I supposed to convince the 41st to give it a go when I'm the only one?' Gree shrugged, running one hand through his hair.  
'Heck, how am I supposed to make this work with the Guard? I've got Senators to worry about, they'll think I'm no longer fit for service.' Fox agreed, stumped for ideas on how to get his boys to play and have fun.  
'Paintball has a funny way of dragging people into the entertainment. Remember, I shot General Skywalker between the shoulders and he grabbed the nearest paintball gun to get me back.' Rex suggested, scratching at his chin. 'Find a moving target and nail it, someone is bound to get curious and ask to have a go.'  
'Well, I'll see you guys in the morning. It's late and I'm stuffed.' Gree yawned, quickly covering his mouth.  
'Yeah, it's been one of those days. Sleep well vode, tomorrow we really should look at focusing on returning to proper duties.' Rex nodded, hiding a yawn as he walked away, Ahsoka still walking at his side.

Making it back to his old quarters, Rex briefly considered trying to get rid of Ahsoka so he could wind down and go to bed but he had a feeling that she wouldn't go until she'd satisfied her curiosity about whatever was on her mind. Unlacing and removing his boots, he stripped off his shirt and tossed it towards his laundry bag, quite pleased when it dropped right in neatly. Grabbing his pyjamas from under his pillow and heading into the 'fresher, he honestly had no idea why Ahsoka was hanging around so much. Usually she didn't come into his quarters unless it was an emergency but here she was and she wasn't leaving.

Emerging a few minutes later, Rex tossed the rest of his dirty clothes into his laundry bag and headed for his bed, Ahsoka watching him from the other side of the room. Flicking back the blankets and getting comfortable, he briefly wondered where his teddy was, knowing he'd tucked it beside his pillow when he'd unpacked.  
'Looking for this?' Ahsoka asked, holding up his soft grey teddy.  
'Don't give me that look littl'un.' Rex warned, getting up again and walking over to retrieve his bear. 'Give it back, it's special to me Commander.'  
'Don't you think you're a bit old for a stuffed toy?' Ahsoka asked, treading a fine line with Rex.  
'Give it back. I don't tease you for the stuffed Ewok on your bed.' Rex growled, tired and annoyed now. 'My buir gave me that bear, now give it back.'  
'You're a grown man Rex, you don't need this.' Ahsoka pushed, struggling to keep the toy out of his reach.  
'You just want your perfect Captain back. Guess what, he's gone for good. Now give it back.' Rex shot back, trapping Ahsoka in the corner and retrieving his bear.

Cuddling his bear close, Rex returned to his bunk and climbed in, tugging the coarser blanket up over his shoulder and settling in for the night. Even though she didn't fully understand the change in Rex, Ahsoka knew she'd taken it too far this time and upset Rex. Padding across the room, she pulled his blanket up properly and tucked it in, hoping Rex would forgive her.  
'You know I don't mind when you tease me, littl'un, I'm used to it by now. But you try and take my stuff again and it won't end so peacefully. I know how to fly and I have no doubt I could find my way back to my buir.' Rex warned, clutching his bear tight to his chest as he started drifting towards sleep.  
'You'd really leave if I pushed to get my old friend back?' Ahsoka asked, stunned by the idea of Rex going AWOL for any reason.  
'Aliit ori'shya tal'din. Family is more than blood.' Rex muttered, just about asleep. 'She is the closest thing to a mother I have, I'd rather be with her than be forced to live a dark life without music and childhood.'  
'I'll keep that in mind Rex.' Ahsoka promised, toying with his hair softly. 'Sleep well Rex.'  
'Night littl'un.' Rex yawned, shifting a little before he drifted off into peaceful dreams of Chicago. Smiling softly at his innocent side, Ahsoka turned and left him in peace, switching out the light and glancing back one last time before leaving quietly.


	11. Missing Home

Finding his feet again, Cody slid back into his proper military mindset, proving that he had found the balance of work and play. His first day back in full armour, Obi-Wan had questioned the new black image on his chestplate. Cody had just smiled and traced the letters over his heart as he uttered the word buir. That was all Obi-Wan needed to know, especially when he saw the other seven 212th troopers that had gone to Chicago were wearing the same mark over their hearts. After seeing that, Obi-Wan left them to their own business, trusting in Cody to know what he was doing.

This particular day, they were racing through hyperspace to reach their next battleground. Cody had everything under control, preparing for the battle ahead and keeping the men busy. Obi-Wan entered the hanger to check on progress and found a strange sight. Staying well back, Obi-Wan just watched and listened, entranced by what was going on. He knew those that had been found in Chicago had learned new things and showed a certain affinity for music but this was beyond what he'd expected.

Perched on the wing of a silent fighter, Cody played his guitar for the troops, singing them a song from a planet most had never even heard of. At his side, Boil sang too, armoured for war with his helmet between his feet. Sitting on a crate on Cody's other side, Punch lifted his voice for the chorus and carried the beat on his drums, sticks loose and yet firm in his hands. Sitting on another crate, Waxer filled out the music, fingers dancing across the keyboard resting on a proper stand. He'd adjusted his sound to fit the others, producing something with a metallic edge that just worked.

Winding down the music, the group stood and acknowledged their brothers, faces lit with smiles as their efforts were so openly accepted by those who had no idea of the wonders the lucky 28 had discovered and hoped to share.  
'Alright boys, back to work. We arrive in the combat zone tomorrow at 0535, I want everyone ready to go at 0500, no excuses. We're going in hard and fast, we cannot afford to fuck this one up and let the Seppies get a foothold.' Cody roared, looking over to where Chopper and Gus were standing, finally free of their casts.  
'Yes Commander!' his men called back, breaking formation and jogging back to their duties.

Climbing back up onto the wing of the fighter, Cody sighed and hung his head, one armoured forearm resting on his guitar.  
'You alright Cody?' Punch asked, leaving his drums to lean against the fighter.  
'It's been three months…fuck I miss her.' Cody uttered, brushing the letters on his chestplate.  
'Look on the bright side Cody, only nine months to go until we see her again.' Waxer offered, securing his keyboard back in its case before walking over to stand with his brothers.  
'If not before. When buir sets her mind to something, she gets it done fast. She estimated a year to get organised but it might not take her that long.' Boil agreed, ducking his head for a moment.  
'She must be worried sick about us. Three months with no contact, she's probably wondering how many survivors are left.' Gus shrugged, giving everyone a solid reality check.  
'Come on guys, we'll be okay. We fight this one for buir, and every battle after this as well. No matter what, we fight in her honour and do everything we can to be here when she arrives.' Jester tried, hoping to bolster the confidence of his closest brothers.  
'Jester's right. This sucks ass, I'd rather be back in Chicago but we're stuck and now we have to do the best we can to still be here when buir makes it through.' Chopper nodded, thinking about all the wonderful things Emily had taught them.

Jumping to attention when Obi-Wan approached, the group half expected to get in trouble for not doing what they were supposed to be doing. Releasing the small clip holding his guitar strap in place against his armour, Cody slid his guitar back out if the way, right hand resting on the neck lightly.  
'The preparations are ahead of schedule General. Seems the men have been itching for a big fight.' he offered, catching his helmet when Gus flicked it back to him.  
'Very good, Cody. I had a feeling that would be the case if you were playing for the troops.' Obi-Wan nodded, diffusing the tension in the hanger. 'It's so rare to hear you in public.'  
'You're just not hanging out in the right places, General.' Cody shrugged, relaxing now that he knew they weren't in trouble. 'I try to play for the boys every night, usually in the rec room but the locations change depending on the atmosphere among the troops.'  
'After a hard fight, we'll usually do a few sets in the infirmary, boost morale and all that.' Jester added, glancing at Cody just to check he wasn't in trouble for speaking out of turn.  
'Just like buir asked of us, we're trying to spread our gifts to as many as we can. It's not easy but we're doing the best we can.' Boil agreed, scratching at his chin. 'Despite the fact we're all genetically identical, some brothers just can't carry a tune.'  
'Percussion seems to be strong with quite a few…as you can hear.' Punch laughed, head cocked to the side as a deep resonating beat started up somewhere in the hanger. 'Thumper, add a double on the third beat!' he called, the rhythm missing something to his trained ears.  
'Copy that Punch!' Thumper yelled back, altering the beat to put a quick little double tap into the pattern. 'How's that?'  
'Sounds good brother.' Punch nodded, satisfied with the altered beat. 'You're really picking it up now!' he praised, turning his attention back to Cody.

#~#~^~#~#

Called in to work on one of his rare days off, Fox briefly considered armouring up but he dismissed the idea, instead reaching for his cleanest jeans and favourite shirt. Changing quickly, he pulled on his joggers and snagged his baseball cap and sunglasses from the shelf where he kept his new bucket. Just in case, he grabbed one of his jackets as well, slinging it over his shoulder as he left his private quarters.

Leaving the Guard barracks, he stretched his shoulders and headed for the command centre, wondering why he was being called in when he had been promised today off. Pushing the concern aside, he hustled across the plaza and darted up the stairs, hoping to get this business over with before he lost too much of the day.

Coding into the command centre, he strode up to the holodisplay without hesitation, tucking his sunglasses through the collar of his t-shirt.  
'Alright Ponds, what's the emergency?' he asked, letting him know just how annoyed he was to be called in today.  
'Sorry Sir, the Senators insisted on going over my head to speak with you. I tried to explain that you were off duty today and gave strict instructions not to be disturbed but they didn't care.' Ponds replied, activating the holodisplay.  
'Well this should be interesting.' Fox uttered, nudging his cap brim a little to shield his eyes and pulling on his jacket. There was a good chance the Senators wouldn't like his "Live Free Ride Free" t-shirt.

No one on the display could see his sharp eyes but he could see them and immediately knew this was going to put a real crimp in his day. There wouldn't be any more downtime for him today. Whenever the Senators called, the Guard ended up having a bad day.  
"Commander Ponds, I told you that I would only discuss this matter with Commander Fox."  
'Senator Amidala, today was my monthly day off. I have been looking forward to this day for three months, I lost one to an emergency in the Senate Rotunda and the other to an attempt on the Chancellor's life. So please, let's discuss this emergency matter and maybe I can salvage a few hours of precious downtime to enjoy.' Fox sighed, nudging his cap up and gazing at the Senators calmly.  
"Commander Fox? What are you wearing?" Senator Amidala asked, staring at his blue jeans and red jacket with white piping along the seams.  
'Technically, I'm still off duty Senator. You give me a reason to be in armour and I can be ready to go in five minutes. I have a spare set in the command centre for rapid response.' Fox shrugged, thumbs hooked through his belt, proudly displaying his red and white jewelled belt buckle. 'I believe you were informed of the Chicago 28. It's no secret about the group that found a new galaxy and a wonderful woman who became a maternal figure for them. I am one of the 28, I found my mother and learned what life is all about.' he continued, so proud to be one of the lucky ones.  
"Of course we heard about the discovery of the rift to that other galaxy, Master Yoda insisted that the information be shared with the Senate. The Jedi did not identify the group that were found on that backwater planet." Amidala nodded, her scorn for Earth frustrating for Fox and just a little painful too.  
'Earth isn't a backwater planet. Sure, they don't have the same technological advances as we have but honestly, I could go back there right now and not miss any of this. I can't say that about any other world.' Fox shot back, a flash of Emily's teachings coming out as he stood there. 'Now, I have still got half a day off and I intend to make good use of it. If you require assistance, Commander Ponds is more than capable of helping you.' he finished, turning on his heel and stalking from the command centre.  
"Commander Fox! Get back here immediately! Commander Fox!"  
'I did try to warn you that Commander Fox would not appreciate the interruption to his day off. He's been talking about his plans for weeks, dreaming up all the fun he was going to have.' Ponds shrugged, looking up just as Fox's duty indicator clicked off again.

Storming from the command centre, Fox broke into a run, weaving through his brothers and racing back to his quarters. Hanging up his jacket and setting his baseball cap on the shelf, he released the locks holding his bike on the wall and lifted it down. Checking it was still in good condition, he grabbed his riding helmet from the shelf and headed out again.

Pausing just short of the exit, he mounted up and buckled his helmet firmly under his chin then eyed the door, checking that no one was coming. Satisfied that his track was clear, he took off, pedalling hard to build up the speed he wanted for his jump. Racing down the corridor, he shot through the doors and pulled his front wheel up, jumping off the stairs. Sticking the landing, he took off across the plaza, relishing the chance to be free. Quite a few of his brothers were soaking up the sun while they had a few minutes and they all turned to watch him ride past.

Constantly looking out for civilians and anyone that could get him into more trouble, Fox gained speed and showed off his real skills. As much as he enjoyed his beading, he truly loved tearing around on his bicycle, replicating some of the stunts he'd seen on Earth. He was careful of his positioning too, not wanting to risk a nasty fall since he didn't have the benefit of solid ground only a short distance below his best jumps.

Lining up on another jump that he knew was fun, he built up his speed and raced towards the garden bed, ready to plant the front wheel and spin a 180 to land on the other side. But just as he passed the point of no return, he spotted Senator Amidala and her little band of peace-lovers stepping from a transport. Committed to the jump now, Fox ignored them and focused on the jump, game face on as he closed the distance fast. Heaving up, he controlled his jump and landed his front wheel right on the spot he'd already marked from previous attempts. Showing his precise control of his bike, he hopped through the 180 and pushed off, landing back wheel first and turning to make another loop.

Another look at the Senators that had come out here and he knew his ride was over. Waving to his brothers in apology for a short display, he turned and cycled over to the waiting Senators. But their presence wasn't about to stop him from doing one last display. Picking his mark, he gained speed then slammed on the rear brakes as he turned the handlebars, leaving a very impressive black streak on the plaza as he came to a stop in front of the Senators.  
'Now that's how to do a skid stop.' he grinned, admiring the curving mark on the ground as his brothers applauded his efforts.  
'So this is what you consider more important that your duty.' Organa remarked dryly, unimpressed with Fox's wild behaviour.  
'Senator Organa, with all respect, this is the only day I get where I can act my true age, instead of being the perfect soldier everyone can rely on. One day a month to be like any ordinary teenaged boy, tearing around and having fun. Commander Ponds is more than capable of leading the Guard on my rare days to enjoy life, he's a fine officer and a good soldier.' Fox replied, reaching for the drink bottle in the cage on the lower bar.  
'And you thought you could get away with such a blatant display of disrespect?' Amidala asked, still very annoyed with him.  
'To be honest, that wasn't so bad, as displays of blatant disrespect go. That prize goes to Rex and the other 10 members of the 501st that made the trip to Earth. When they get time to play, no one stops them and nothing interrupts their fun unless it's a combat alert.' Fox shrugged, unbuckling his helmet and scratching at his hair.

#~#~^~#~#

Fairly sure he was going to get roasted for doing the bolt like that, Rex sprinted through the corridors, shouldering slower brothers out of the way in his haste to respond to an urgent call from one of his boys. He knew he was in trouble, he'd just gone tearing out of a tactics discussion without so much as a by your leave to the General. Ahsoka had followed him for a little while but at full sprint, Rex quickly outpaced the young Togruta.

Bouncing off the wall, he scrambled around the last corner and through the doors, pausing a second to catch his breath before approaching the bunks. They'd played it smart, making use of one of the infirmary overflow bunkrooms so they were together and quarantined from the rest of the ship. All ten of his boys in this room were groaning, barely able to summon the strength to look his way as he yanked his helmet off and set it out of the way. They looked terrible, soaked in sweat yet shivering with cold, their faces pale as they clutched their stomachs.

Channelling Emily's gentle side, Rex peeled off his gloves and got stuck in to helping his boys. Moving from bunk to bunk, he wiped their brows and emptied the barf buckets by their beds, singing sweet lullabies to calm them as he worked to ease their suffering. Attentive to their every whimper, Rex easily shifted into a more paternal mindset, doing his best to soothe his boys and make them comfortable.

Everyone understood the rules of the overflow bunkrooms, only injured or ill brothers and medical staff were allowed inside. But given the circumstances, Rex doubted anyone would call him on using the room, especially when they looked at the sick men all around him and saw how hard he was working to help them. Rex knew he was risking his own health but it was a small price to pay to bring memories of their buir back to the minds of sick young men who needed any comfort they could find.

Whipping around when the doors opened, admitting Ahsoka and Anakin into the room, Rex got into a situation that he wasn't used to. Training demanded that he respond to the Jedi but instinct pushed him to go to the brother having trouble breathing. Seconds later, instinct won the battle. Dipping his head to the Jedi, he spun and hurried to Kix's side, helping him to sit up and working with his younger brother to expel the muck clogging his throat. Bringing up a mixture of spit, mucus and vomit over Rex's back, Kix managed a weak apology as Rex eased him back down. Smiling softly, Rex reassured him that it was fine and left him to rest as he went for the nearest towel.

Wiping the muck off his shoulder and back, Rex wandered over to face the Jedi, unrepentant for his actions. If they wanted to tell him off for tending to his brothers, he'd give it right back on the grounds he was doing what any good older brother should do.  
'What happened to them?' Ahsoka asked, looking around slowly.  
'Not sure yet, no one's really up to telling me anything.' Rex shrugged, lobbing the filthy towel towards the laundry crate in the corner. 'Droidbait pinged my comm with an alert, I came in here to find this mess.'  
'So that's why you tore out of the briefing like that.' Anakin remarked, taking in the sick men and wondering what had knocked out just these ten.  
'When my brothers put out a medical red alert like that, I know time is of the essence. I apologise for my actions and am ready to face whatever punishment you see fit, General.' Rex nodded, whipping around at the sound of another brother in distress.  
'I think that personally caring for this group until they're back on their feet is punishment enough Rex.' Anakin instructed, dismissing Rex to tend to his brothers.  
'Of course, General.' Rex grinned faintly, heading over to help Dogma to his feet and guide him to the nearest 'fresher.

Leaving the door half open, Rex kept one ear on Dogma as he continued his rounds, never once complaining about the mess splattering his armour. He'd just soothe whoever had left their mark, wipe off the worst of the muck and keep going, a constant, gentle presence for them. He never even flinched when he retrieved Dogma and guided him back to bed only to be rewarded with another layer of vomit over his hip and down his right leg.  
'Never mind Dogma, I'll clean that up in a minute. Come on, you just settle back and try to get some rest.' Rex soothed, easing Dogma down and tucking him in safely.  
'm'kay ori'vod.' Dogma uttered, clutching his stomach as he tried to get comfortable.

Finally on top of the situation, Rex sighed and ran one hand through his hair as he looked around at his brothers. They weren't exactly comfortable but at least they were resting and hopefully would be feeling better when they awoke.  
'Ten vod, down with gastro distress…it doesn't make any sense. If it was a problem with the kitchen droids everyone would be sick. It can't be the kaf either, a problem there would floor the entire crew as well. So what the hell put these boys out of action?' he mused, trying to make sense of the symptoms and what he knew.  
'You're sure it's gastro?' Ahsoka asked, not exactly sure what that meant but Rex's concern was good enough reason for her to worry.  
'Yeah, it's gastro for sure. The vomiting, diarrhoea and general discomfort all points to it. We've all had it before, a reaction to a common Earth food, coconut. We were all out sick for a few days, just like these boys are now.' Rex nodded, grabbing a nearby stool and sitting.  
'Why don't you go take a shower and get changed? Surely someone else can keep an eye on them for a little while.' Ahsoka suggested, worried about Rex running down.  
'No, this is my responsibility. I remember how buir cared for us when we were sick, love like that can't be taught. Besides, it'll only be for a few days, then they'll be back to their usual antics.' Rex replied, tuning to look when the doors opened and Coric entered the ward. 'What brings you in here Coric?'

Reaching into his belt, Coric pulled out a sealed bag and tossed it to Rex as he walked over to check on Kix's condition.  
'It's a bag of ration bars, what's your point Coric?' Rex asked, not really hungry but he could eat.  
'Don't eat them, whatever you do. Kix pinged me when he started feeling lousy, asking me to look into the cause of his illness. He listed everything he'd eaten and I tested it all for contamination. The ration bars in his kit were the cause, contaminated by a disease I've never seen before. I tested other ration bars in the same batch from a random selection of brothers, as well as bars from the kits belonging to the other sick men. To my surprise and horror, only the ration bars from these men were contaminated.' Coric explained, leaving Kix to sleep it off in peace.  
'I wonder…' Rex uttered, reaching for the ration bar case on his belt. 'Here, test these ones.' he instructed, unhooking the case and tossing it across to Coric, along with the bag of contaminated ration bars.

Catching the case and bag, Coric headed for the nearest table and pulled one out. Delving into his medical pack, he pulled out his new detection kit and got to work analysing the new sample. If Rex's was positive, it meant all those who went to Chicago from the 501st were carrying contaminated rations, a potentially dangerous situation until the rest of the 28 could be warned. It only took a few minutes for the results to come back, the base unit letting out a warning beep as the screen flashed red.  
'Yeah, these are contaminated too. That's all eleven from the 501st that went to Chicago.' Coric confirmed, opening the bag and dumping the contaminated bars from Rex's kit in with the rest.  
'Get in touch with the rest of the 28, hopefully no one else has eaten any of the contaminated bars. I wouldn't worry about 99, he didn't have any rations with him when we jumped, unlike the rest of us.' Rex directed, determined to keep his brothers safe from harm.  
'I'm on it, Sir. I'll dispose of these dangerous bars on the way. The incinerator onboard will make short work of the problem.' Coric nodded, packing up his gear and racing out of the ward.  
'Contaminated ration bars, who woulda thought?' Rex chuckled, shaking his head in wonder. He'd been close to going for one of his as a snack, good thing he hadn't.  
'Contaminated by what?' Anakin asked, concerned by the news of contamination in the food.  
'Could have something to do with the rift. Those bars that were in my belt were the same ones I had in Chicago. Like Coric said, ours were the only ones in the batch found to be contaminated so I can't think of any other explanation that makes sense.' Rex shrugged, making a mental note to get Kix to take a look at Coric's data when he was feeling better.

#~#~^~#~#

Even though he knew it was against regs, Gree proudly wore Emily's gift on his collar, the golden wings standing out for all the galaxy to see. It wasn't so obvious when he had his bucket on but whenever he went without his bucket, the small gold pin was quite clear to see under his jaw. It felt right to wear it there, protected from harm but obvious to anyone that looked that he was one of the 28 spoken about in hushed tones by the rest of the GAR.

Dressed in comfortable casuals, he relaxed in his quarters and watched the old footage of a much simpler life. Laughing and screaming in delight, his dearest brothers chased each other through the snow, all rugged up and having the most amazing time. He remembered that week with a certain fondness. Emily had loaded them all into a rented bus and driven them into the mountains for a week of childish fun in the snow. They'd made snowmen and snow angels, had the most incredible snowball fights and just generally had the time of their short lives romping around in the snow.

Looking up when someone swiped his door chime, he paused the video and rolled to his feet, padding over to open the door. Standing there was one of his most trusted Sergeants, dyed green hair falling in his eyes as he hefted a specially modified pack off his shoulders.  
'Right on time Tribal.' he grinned, moving aside to let the sergeant into his quarters.  
'You mentioned this was important, Sir.' Tribal replied, setting his gear down on the small table and starting to unpack. 'Have you settled on the final designs?'  
'Got it all figured out.' Gree nodded, digging out the three designs he'd settled on. 'These two on the knuckles, left and right. And this one on the back of the neck.'  
'All of this? Usually first timers start small and if they don't mind the sensations, they'll go for more.' Tribal suggested, looking at the three designs Gree had handed him.  
'I can handle it Tribal. I'm not a tattoo virgin anyway, I've got all these.' Gree insisted, removing his shirt to display his green tribal swirls. 'Now get on with it, I want these works finished today.'  
'Alright, if you say so, Sir.' Tribal shrugged, flicking through the designs again before putting two of them aside. 'Tip your head forward, I'll start with the one on your neck.'

Reaching up to remove the necklace Fox had given him for their last Christmas together, Gree closed his eyes and relaxed as Tribal cleaned the back of his neck and transferred the design from flimsi to flesh.  
'Alright Sir, nice and still. If it gets too much, just raise your hand.' Tribal guided, holding the tattoo gun where Gree could see it so the sudden buzzing in his blind spot didn't kick combat instincts into action.  
'Just make sure it's perfect, Tribal. This is important so don't screw it up.' Gree replied, resting his head on his folded arms and focusing on his breathing as Tribal started working on the first design, the thin green lines slowly taking shape.

Focusing on his memories of Emily's beautiful face and all she'd taught them, Gree kept perfectly still as Tribal kept working on his neck. Hopefully she would like this display of his love for her, the strong green lines spelling out her name on his skin. This definitely hurt but for Emily, he'd endure the discomfort to show just how precious Emily was to him.  
'Still feeling okay, Sir?' Tribal asked, lifting the tattoo gun from his neck.  
'I'm fine, nothing to it.' Gree replied, relishing the burn across the back of his neck. 'How's it looking so far?'  
'The outline is done, now to colour it with the usual green.' Tribal grinned, turning back to his ink set to find the right colour.  
'No, not green. I want it to be dark brown, approaching black but still an obvious brown.' Gree corrected, keeping his head bowed as he straightened his back to ease the tension building there.  
'Dark brown?' Tribal asked, searching his inks for the right colour then grabbing an empty container to start mixing up a new colour when he didn't have it.  
'Emily's eyes are dark brown. I associate the colour with her love and compassion and I know the rest of the 28 will appreciate the choice.' Gree explained, getting to his feet and retrieving his favourite photo of Emily. 'Here she is, my dearest buir.' he added, holding out the close up of Emily's smiling face.  
'I can't promise this will be the same colour but I'll do my best.' Tribal nodded, attention focused on her eyes before he reached for the inks and started mixing up the closest colour he could.

Returning to his spot, Gree got comfortable and waited, still thinking of his dearest buir as Tribal finished mixing the ink and picked up the second gun in his kit.  
'Alright then, just relax.' Tribal coaxed, again letting Gree know where he was and showing the tattoo gun as he clicked it on. 'Just let me know if you need a break.'  
'Tribal, I had the green done all in one sitting, this isn't so bad. Now just get on with it.' Gree demanded, tired of Tribal's tender concerns.  
'Alright, alright, keep your pants on.' Tribal chuckled, pinning Gree in place and starting to fill in the lines.  
'I'll make you so proud, buir.' Gree whispered, breathing through the pain as Tribal kept working through the Mandalorian glyphs now permanently in his skin.

#~#~^~#~#

Whistling a merry little tune as he wandered onto the bridge, Wolffe reached up to adjust the insignia pins in his collar, the dark metal barely noticeable against the black of his bodysuit. But it wasn't the gifted insignia that made him happy, nor the wonderful morning he'd spent with his pack, stirring up a celebration of music and dance. No, it was the neatly rolled paper in his hand, tied with a pretty silver bow that meant the most. Today was a special day for someone onboard, someone that the pack really did care about.

Coming up beside their General, Wolffe removed his helmet and smoothed his thumb over the silver ribbon as he waited for Plo to acknowledge him.  
'You seem to be in a very good mood today Wolffe.' the older Kel Dor remarked, tearing his gaze away from the forward screens.  
'It's been a good day so far. I got another three chapters finished after breakfast, learned a few new steps from Comet and took a spin across the dance floor as the band belted out a new song and still found time for a few circuits of the hanger track.' Wolffe replied, quite happy with the day so far.

Glancing back over his shoulder, Wolffe grinned at the sight of his pack-brothers striding onto the bridge, forming up in a neat line, armour polished to a perfect sheen as they waited for Wolffe to make the first move.  
'Sir, we heard an interesting rumour from one of the bridge crew earlier and we were wondering if it was true.' Wolffe remarked, aiming for casual but he had a feeling he missed.  
'And just what was the rumour this time?' Plo asked, turning to face Wolffe and his pack.  
'That today is your life day.' Wolffe replied, drawing everyone's attention to the conversation.

General Koon surprised them when he laughed, one hand resting on Wolffe's shoulder lightly. For a moment, Wolffe was concerned he'd offended his General but laughter wasn't usually the reaction of someone offended by something.  
'Sir?' he ventured, wary of what was going on.  
'It seems I will have to try harder to keep my secrets. The rumour is true Commander, today is my life day.' Koon nodded, wondering just who might have started that particular rumour.  
'Well then, I wish you a good life day, Sir.' Wolffe grinned, holding out the rolled page. 'A little something from the boys to celebrate your special day, Sir.'  
'How thoughtful, I was not expecting anything at all.' Plo praised, gaze shifting to the rest of the pack as he accepted the gift.

Everyone was quiet as he pulled the ribbon free and unrolled the page. Leaving their places, the rest of the pack gathered behind Wolffe, eagerly waiting the reaction from their General. Holding the page out flat, Koon stared in wonder and amazement at the gift he'd been presented. Someone had drawn a group image of the Wolfpack, Comet and Spitter in the back, then Boost and Sinker and finally Wolffe on one knee in the front. They were all armed for battle, rifles, carbines and pistols held firm in their hands. Right in the middle, standing tall between Boost and Sinker, the artist had put their General, ready for action with his lightsaber in hand. Whoever had drawn this not only got the figures perfect but had coloured it as well, bringing them to life on the page. In the bottom left corner, the script very fine and curved gracefully was a name, the artist revealed to him at last.

Looking up from the image, he turned to the Wolfpack and smiled behind his mask. They couldn't see it but after working together for so long, they knew when their General was happy.  
'This is amazing, thank you all. I heard you were an artist Boost but this is beyond my expectations.' he praised, looking back at the drawing for a moment.  
'Buir taught me well, Sir. I'm better at drawing my brothers and the ship but I felt like a challenge. I've never tried drawing you before, Sir.' Boost replied, cheeks going a rather stunning shade of red as he looked away.  
'You did very well for a first time. The detailing is very good, I do not see anything that you missed.' Koon continued, peering closer at the drawing.  
'Thank you Sir, I tried really hard.' Boost nodded, soaking up the praise for his efforts.  
'I believe your buir would be proud of you as well, Boost.'  
'I hope so Sir.' Boost agreed, dropping his gaze sadly.  
'Chin up Boost, you know buir would be proud of you. She wanted us to share our gifts and just look at how far you've come. When you started drawing, you wouldn't show anyone but buir and the pack, now your art hangs in the mess, the rec room and there is the mural you helped with in the hanger. Buir would be so proud of you and when she gets here, you can show her just how far you've taken your gift.' Wolffe grinned, running his fingers through Boost's hair.  
'There's a special piece I've been working on, just for buir. I really hope she likes it when she comes to see us next.' Boost replied, lifting his gaze. 'It's not finished yet, I put it aside to work on the life day gift for our General.'  
'You have time vod'ika, buir isn't expected to arrive for another nine months. Go on, there's nothing on the roster for today that can't be foisted off onto the dark list. Take the day boys, I'll join you for a race later. Some of us still have to work.' Wolffe instructed, letting his hand fall back to his side.  
'I believe the bridge crew can handle the situation, Commander. I am interested in having another go at those bicycles of yours.' Koon suggested, resting his hand on Wolffe's shoulder again. 'After all, even Jedi deserve a little time to enjoy life.'  
'Hanger in fifteen minutes?' Sinker suggested, a mischievous little grin on his face.  
'Paintball guns too?' Spitter added, catching onto Sinker's sneaky idea.  
'Better dig out some older clothes General, looks like you're in for more than a ride.' Wolffe sniggered, waving his pack away.  
'I look forward to your attempts Commander.' Koon nodded, pushing him back and running for the door.  
'Heh, we'll see who makes the attempts.' Wolffe shot back, donning his helmet and joining in with the mad rush to get organised.

#~#~^~#~#

Choking down his meal, Bly looked at the ring he'd taken to wearing, thoughts drifting to home and his closest brothers but most of all, to Emily. No one else understood his bond with the older woman, at least, no one he could talk to without proper clearance and a lot of calculations to figure out who was in range. As much as it hurt to be alone with just his memories to keep him company, he really didn't want to waste the time tying to find someone to talk to about Emily. They were all supposed to be focusing on sharing her message with any that would listen, not wondering when they would see her again.

Pushing his unfinished meal aside, he sighed and traced his thumb over the blood red jewel in the middle of the ring, feeling the facets and then the highly detailed band. The ring always caught attention but for all the wrong reasons. Anytime the Admiral saw it, he insisted Bly remove it, Aayla only let him wear it with his civilian clothes and his brothers didn't see the significance of it, no matter how hard he tried to explain it to them.

None of his brothers were showing any interest in anything he was trying to share, never asking to try his paintball gun or ride his bicycle, even though he'd made it clear they were welcome to if they wished. They barely listened to his stories of Emily and her love for all clones, finding any excuse to leave before the story was done. Bly knew he couldn't force them to listen, he wouldn't abuse his position like that. But sometimes it was so tempting to make it an order so he could try to explain Emily's care for men she didn't know.

He'd deny it later of course, but he jumped when someone dropped down beside him and pressed a fresh mug of kaf into his hands. Looking up, he smiled softly at Brutus, one of his heavy gunners. With facial scars that could rival Chopper, Brutus tried extra hard to keep his hair longer than regs allowed, cutting it to cover the worst of the scarring. Bly could understand his reluctance to show his scars and let him get away with the long hair, so long as Brutus kept both eyes visible and didn't grow his hair out too much.  
'Sir, I know that no one else believes you when you try to tell us about your buir but I want to know more. I want to understand how you can believe in this woman even though the story makes no sense.' Brutus uttered, sipping his kaf as he looked at Bly.  
'Buir would like you, she appreciates those who don't filter their words.' Bly remarked, toying with his ring again. 'Why do you even care all of a sudden? The last time I tried to tell you about buir, you found a reason to leave.'  
'It was nothing personal, Sir. I just didn't believe it was possible but with the information from the 501st about contaminated ration bars and all the strange new equipment that you've been using…it's hard to ignore the fact something happened. Brutus shrugged, gazing into his mug as he spoke.  
'Buir promised she would follow when the time was right. So far it's been three months since we last saw buir, she guessed it would be a year before we were reunited. When she arrives, I'll make sure she knows you personally. She hopes to spread her love to as many brothers as she can, but I have no doubt that all 28 of the original group have their own special interest cases for her.' Bly promised, draining his mug and standing. 'We won't talk here, too many still don't understand the story. I've got some basic maintenance to do on my bike, if you want to help.'  
'I'd like that, vod.' Brutus nodded, getting up and following Bly from the mess.

#~#~^~#~#

Smiling fondly as he looked over the sea of calm faces slack in peaceful meditations, 99 swept the younger cadets along on an incredible journey, teaching them about imagination, fun and what life really meant. Perched comfortably on a stool, accordion resting on his knee and strapped to his chest, words became worthless as he took them to places they'd never seen or dreamed of before.

Listening to the strange new music, they were transported to a new place, young minds creating their own places that matched with the music. Some saw grasslands, waving in the wind. Others found great forests, structures high up in the branches. A few created oceans, the waves cresting on pure white beaches in tune with the music.

Winding up the song, 99 looked around again, his smile growing as the youngsters came out of their dreams and blinked, looking up at him with a new respect. Suddenly home had a meaning, it wasn't just a word or even Kamino, their place of birth. Home was happiness and laughter. Home was freedom and games. Home was a place where the war didn't matter and childhood was reclaimed for every man that found their way.  
'Alright boys, time for bed.' 99 called, slipping the padded straps off his shoulders and setting his accordion down on its case. 'We'll talk about buir and yaim again tomorrow night.'  
'Aww, do we have to ori'vod?' Hotshot groaned, reluctant to sleep when there were still so many stories to be shared.  
'You know perfectly well that it's bedtime Hotshot.' 99 replied, stern with his younger brothers like Emily was with them.  
'But it's still early. Please ori'vod, one last story.' Whiplash implored, the rest of the group soon taking up his call.  
'No. I will tell you the story of Christmas tomorrow night but only if you're all good vode and go to bed right now. I promise, tomorrow's story will take you into a reality beyond your wildest dreams. Now run along boys, time for bed.' 99 countered, chuckling as young eyes lit up with excitement. Scrambling to their feet, the boys scattered to their bunks, climbing up and settling quickly. 'Good night boys.'  
'night 99.' they chorused, bunks slipping back into the walls as 99 headed for his corner of the barracks to get some much needed sleep.

It wasn't much, a small storeroom cleared out and furnished sparsely. A simple bed against the left wall, the mattress reasonably comfortable. A desk and chair in the back right corner, his paintball gun taking pride of place. A small locker in the front right corner, his clothes tucked away neatly inside, not that he got to wear them often. His bicycle, a custom made three wheeled design, leant up against the wall beside his desk, a carved chock from Gree keeping it from rolling away until he was ready to ride it again.

Sighing softly, he tucked his accordion between his bike and his desk before looking up at the art on the walls. Most of it was his, simple drawings of Chicago and Kamino. But above his bed, taking pride of place in a beautiful frame Gus had sent him, was Emily's gift, safe behind clear plasti where ho one could touch her combat legacy.

Changing into his pyjamas and putting his jumpsuit in the laundry basket at the foot of his bed, he settled back and reached for the datapad under his pillow. Clicking it on, he snuggled down with his stuffed horse and started his nightly slideshow, sleep starting to cloud his mind as he watched the photos drift past, bringing back memories of good times as his family filled his attention. Everything he suffered from the older clones, those too far gone in their training to care about the stories, he felt it all fade into nothing as his family surrounded him each night. At least he had the younger cadets to teach, they hung on his every word. But trying to pass Emily's message to those who were older, those around 8 or 10, it was an impossible task really. They were too far gone to bring back into the light of Emily's love.

Snuggling down and putting his photo album away safely, he reached out and shut off the light beside his bed. He was just about asleep when someone knocked softly at his half closed door and a young head poked into sight.  
'What is it Scythe?' 99 asked, coming up on one elbow.  
'I can't sleep, I keep thinking about the stories you told us.' Scythe uttered, slipping into the room and darting over to sit beside 99. 'What if buir doesn't like me at all?' he asked, trembling faintly as he sat there.  
'Scythe, buir will adore you. You have the advantage of true youth, young in mind, body and spirit. When buir arrives, she will open her arms to all brothers but you, and those like you, the lucky ones that listened to her stories as truly innocent children, she will love you all the more.' 99 soothed, sitting up properly and reaching out to tug Scythe closer.  
'You really think so, ori'vod?' Scythe asked, eyes lighting up at the suggestion.  
'I really believe that, vod'ika. Be patient, even if you are deployed when buir finds her way here, I'll make sure she knows where to find you.' 99 promised, rocking slowly as they sat there.  
'Can I stay here tonight, ori'vod?' Scythe sighed, burrowing closer to 99's warmth and comfort.  
'Of course you can Scythe.' 99 agreed, relaxing his grip and stretching out comfortably before drawing Scythe back in close. 'Sleep now, vod'ika.' he uttered, drawing the blankets over them.  
'Good night ori'vod.' Scythe uttered, covering a yawn and snuggling in tighter as he drifted off into the peaceful realm of his dreams. 'buir.' he breathed, dreaming up a home where he ran with his brothers under Emily's watchful brown eyes.


	12. Making The Jump

A year to the day since she said goodbye to her dearest boys, Emily had everything organised at last. She'd risked a lot of lives with her final daring plan but the crew above put their faith in her and brought the cruiser down to her property, landing beyond the oaks, shadowing her house and the gardens where once happy young men had played. Pulling together, the crew trooped up and down the ramps, loading the extensive list of supplies Emily had gathered over the months.

The fighters were all crammed together, the holds of the gunships stacked high with toys and games and every available storeroom loaded with clothes and the specialised food and equipment for the most precious of cargos. Strangely shaped crates were set in a single layer along the walls of the hanger, everyone warned to be very careful with them at all times. No one knew exactly what was in them but they responded to the authority in Emily's voice.

Other boxes were stored in a larger storeroom, Emily confronting the Admiral until the door was locked to everyone else. The crates and boxes carried into this room were stronger than any of the others, locked to prevent peeking and carefully inventoried by Emily as they were packed into the room.

By far the strangest things though, were the wheeled cart type things that had to be hauled up the ramp and secured in the hanger. Some of them were small and easily managed but some were quite large, requiring quite a bit of muscle power to manoeuvre them through the corridors. But with a fair bit of swearing, sweating and struggling, they managed to get the nine wheeled carts locked down in the portside hanger.

Four empty bunkrooms had been converted as well, the bunks removed and the floors covered with a thick layer of paper. The bunkrooms became secure holding rooms for the wide assortment of cats and dogs along for the trip, various colours and sizes settling in the rooms contentedly. Emily warned everyone else to stay out of the converted rooms, not wanting the animals running loose on the ship.

The hanger had been converted into a series of high pens, each one secured to the floor firmly and held together with strong welds and chains. Their purpose became clear when everything else was loaded. Using the clones as a barrier, Emily herded several larger beasts up the ramp and through the corridors, cracking a long, thin something over her head to keep the creatures moving through the ship until she had them penned up in the hanger. 

Back and forth she went, herding more of these odd beasts into the ship and penning them securely, writing a series of numbers on the wall by the entrance she was using. Another circuit and she stopped to tally up the numbers, writing out the total and nodding slowly.

Waving most of the men away, she selected fifteen and led them out of the ship and towards another building. Leading them inside, she introduced them to another type of strange animal, creatures she called horses. Calming the horses, she divided the heard into smaller groups, handing each startled clone four lead ropes to hold firmly. Taking the last and largest six, she headed back towards the ship again, the horses walking along beside her in tight formation.

Filing up the ramp and through the ship, the horses started at the noises around them but when Emily looked back over her shoulder and clicked her tongue, they calmed again, following her through the ship and into the hanger. Leading her six into a pen, she unclipped the lead ropes from four before leading the other two out and penning them separately. Following her lead, the clones penned up the rest of the horses, looping the lead ropes around the railings of each pen.

Wiping the sweat from her eyes, Emily smile and reached up to pat one of the horses on the nose, soothing and reassuring the mighty beast. Shaking his head, the massive horse tapped at the decking and lowered his head, leaning over the railing to nudge at Emily's shoulder. Laughing softly, Emily scratched behind his ears and offered him a treat from her pocket, relaxing into the journey she was facing.

Pulling a thick wad of paper from her belt pouch, she checked the long lists of supplies she had arranged, making sure that she had everything she wanted and needed. Not just her own personal needs and the needs of her beasts, but years worth of supplies for her extended family to share and enjoy. Her great fortunes, hard won through her career as a Marine and then a Bounty Hunter, were gone, every last cent spent on stockpiling the supplies now onboard this massive ship. Even the land underneath the great ship was no longer hers, sold to pay for yet more gifts for her sons.

The lists complete and everything loaded, checked and double-checked, Emily smiled warmly and let her shoulders droop. After a year of constant worrying, tormenting all her contacts to get what she wanted and watching the life she'd built as it was torn apart, she was finally in a position to leave Earth and rejoin her sons.  
'Alright, listen up. This is going to be strange for all the animals on this journey; they aren't used to a floor that moves. So, those that helped lead the horses up, stay by their pens and talk softly to them, watch and mimic what I do. I'll need a few of you to stay and watch the cattle, if they bolt they might break free so keep them calm. Feed them and kept noise to a minimum.' Emily called, reaching up to rub Diablo's cheek softly. 'Steady boy, it's alright. We're going on a little trip, its okay.'  
'We're ready down here Admiral.' someone else said, soothing Angel as he spoke into his comm.  
'Easy Thunder, easy now. It's alright, I'm here.' Emily coaxed, holding his halter firmly in one hand as the huge ship started to slowly lift off.

#~#~^~#~#

Romus and Remus padding along at her feet and a ginger cat draped around her neck, Emily strode onto the bridge with her head held high, customised leather holsters firm on her hips. Dressed in well loved blue jeans and a pale blue singlet, she hardly looked a threat but the pistols on her hips clearly indicated that she wasn't someone to mess with.  
'Admiral, did you get in contact with the men on my list?' she asked, watching the elegant swirl of hyperspace flashing past them.  
'I did, Emily. Sergeant Zodiac is standing by to finalise the connection when you're ready. Just through there.' he nodded, indicating the closed door just to Emily's right.  
'Thank you Admiral.' Emily grinned, activating the door and striding into the holoroom. 'Make the connection, please Zodiac.'  
'Of course…buir.' Zodiac replied, shy with the title but at least he was trying.  
'Vor entye ad.' Emily grinned, reaching out to lightly stroke his dazzling white hair.

Darkening the room, Zodiac opened up the connection and stepped back, giving Emily precious privacy to speak with her sons. Slowly the outgoing call was responded to, familiar faces appearing around the holotable. In groups or alone, her first 28 heard her call and answered, some in civilians and others in armour. With tears in her eyes, Emily looked around at her darling boys, taking in their changes and so very glad to see them again.  
"Buir! You made it through!" Tup beamed, helmet clattering to the floor.  
"We've missed you so much, buir." Cody added, arm around Chopper's shoulders.  
"It's so good to see you again, buir." Wolffe grinned, his pack gathered around him.  
'It's been torture without you, my dear sons. The last year has dragged so slowly as I tried to face life without your happy smiles to light my days.' Emily replied, tears falling silently as she gazed at her boys. 'You're all looking so well, I can't wait to see you all in person again.'  
"There are a lot of young men here that are eager to meet you buir. I think I got the lucky posting, I get to share your stories with the boys before they get too deep in their training. They're more responsive to the gifts you gave us." 99 offered, gaze snapping away when someone called his name. "Scythe, come over here. There's someone here for you to meet."

Gaze softening at the sight of the young boy sliding to a stop beside 99, Emily smiled softly and turned her full attention to the young boy, awed to finally see what her boys were like as true children. He was so cute, hair cut to regulation length and dyed blonde, he was immediately drawn to Emily, jaw going slack as he looked at her.  
"Buir?" he asked, looking up at her with such innocence.  
'Elek ad, I am your buir.' Emily nodded, humbled by the adoration already present in his dark gaze. 'I had a feeling my boys were cute as kids but you really are a sweet little guy, aren't you?'  
"See, buir really does love you." 99 added, ruffling Scythe's hair.  
"I don't know ori'vod, she hasn't met me in person yet." Scythe replied, looking up at 99 timidly.  
"Scythe, you're not giving buir enough credit. She already loves you, the first personal meeting just solidifies your place in her heart." 99 corrected, hugging the younger clone.  
'Scythe, there are many brothers that I can help but now that I know you by your uniqueness, I will never forget you. Once the great homestead is finished, the doors will be open to all. There we will meet, when your batch gets their first month under my care.' Emily promised, reaching out her hand.  
"I await the day with great eagerness, buir." Scythe replied, also reaching out. Their touch was symbolic, a mother reaching across the galaxy to her son but it was good enough for Scythe.  
"You'd best run along now Scythe, you don't want to be late." 99 suggested, glancing away for a moment. "Quickly now, your training group is on the range."  
"Until we next meet, buir." Scythe offered, turning and running from the group.

Chuckling softly, Emily reached up and lifted the cat from around her neck, placing him down on the holotable.  
"It can't be…Spark." Fox uttered, sinking to one knee and removing his helmet. "Hey Spark, over here."  
'I brought them all with me, and more that I picked up over the months apart. I also bring with me a pack of various breeds of dogs, the cattle that lived in the paddock beyond the oaks and 66 horses, many of them familiar to you but there are a few new arrivals.' Emily explained, watching the cat padding across the table. 'Zodiac, make sure Spark doesn't get hurt when he tries what he's about to do.' she directed, waving him around to stand behind Fox's hologram.

Sure enough, Spark broke into a run and tried to jump into Fox's hands, only to sail right through the hologram. Lunging forward, Zodiac caught the flying cat before he hit the deck and cradled him to his covered chest, fingers instinctively rubbing at the soft fur.  
'Yeah, that's about what I expected. Nice catch Zodiac, just remember to be gentle, cats are delicate creatures.' Emily grinned, gaze dropping to Fox. 'Spark is in good health and growing well. He fathered a litter with Kate, seven healthy little kittens. Three boys and four girls. Two of the boys and two of the girls are tabby, the others are gingers.'  
"I can't wait to see them buir." Dogma lit up at the mention of his tabby girl.  
"I'll bet they're absolutely beautiful." Fives agreed, slinging one arm around Tup's shoulders.  
'Once I get settled in, I'll figure out how to send you all a picture of them.' Emily nodded, scratching Romus and Remus behind the ears.  
'I can teach you how, buir.' Zodiac offered, stopping beside Fox and holding Spark so the officer could admire how he was looking.  
'Vor'e Zodiac.' Emily chuckled, watching Fox fight the urge to touch his cat.  
"How's Diablo doing?" Gus asked, his short-sleeved shirt revealing the surgery scars on his left forearm where Diablo had made contact.  
'He's doing fine Gus, he's in the hanger with the rest of the herd. I still regret my mistakes that led to your injuries but there is nothing to be done for it now.' Emily shrugged, gaze swinging to Chopper. 'How'd the leg heal up?'  
"Good as new, buir. It aches occasionally but I'm back to military standards." Chopper replied, cracking his neck quickly.  
"Will you come and see us buir, once you're settled into your new home?" Bly asked, toying with the Marine ring she'd given him.  
'As soon as I can organise a pilot and a ship, I'll make the rounds, ner ade.' Emily promised, accepting Spark back from Zodiac and draping him back around her neck.  
"We've been working hard to share your stories with as many as we can. Some won't listen, they don't believe but many are eager for the fun and freedom from responsibility that you offer." Gree remarked, lifting his chin a little so Emily could see her gift on his uniform collar.  
'In time I will make my presence known to all but for now, I've got all these animals to settle and a house to make a home. In time, I'll spread my love to all who are willing to enter my embrace and accept the gifts I bring.' Emily sighed, wondering how long it would take to finish the setup wherever she was going.

For a few minutes there was silence, Emily appreciating her changed sons and the men just glad to have her back. The last year had been so hard, each of them confronted with dozens of reasons to just throw it all away and try to make it back to her but they kept finding the strength to stay with their brothers and spread Emily's message, determined not to fail their mother.  
"Buir, where are you going to be living now?" Kix asked, lightly touching the dressing on the side of his neck.  
'I'm not sure Kix, I've been busy keeping the animals calm.' Emily replied, wishing she had a better answer.  
'Your compound was built on Alderaan, it was the closest we could get to Earth that was deep enough in Republic territory for the Jedi and the Senate to be happy.' Zodiac offered, stepping up beside Emily again.  
"Fox…" the warning was clear, all eyes on Fox as he raised his hands.  
"I'll do what I can, vode. No promises but I'll try." Fox replied, wavering under the force of his brothers. "You really should be talking to Senator Organa though, it's his homeworld. But I'll do what I can from my end."  
'What are you boys planning now?' Emily asked, drawing the focus away from Fox.  
"Until you're settled in, I'd like to send a few brothers to help you get settled and familiar with our technology." Fox explained, rubbing the back of his neck lightly.  
'Not necessary Fox. I'm sure the Admiral won't mind if I steal Zodiac away. I already know him and right now, the familiarity is a comfort.' Emily corrected, shooting Zodiac a warm smile.  
'Uh…I'd be honoured buir.' Zodiac uttered, flushing as he looked away.  
'That's enough, boys. It's my choice, not yours.' Emily snapped, noticing the hostile looks form her sons.  
"But buir, he's a shiny. He was transferred into the 212th just before the Jedi arrived in Chicago. Surely there's some…" Cody tried, wanting his mother to have the best.  
'Cody, one more word and there will be trouble." Emily snarled, drawing Zodiac in against her side. 'Regardless of how long he's been in rank, Zodiac has already shown he has what it takes to help get the herds, pack and pride settled into their new homes. He's focusing on the comfort of the animals, not pleasing me and that's exactly what I need now.' she continued, the stress of the journey telling on her.  
"Of course buir, I meant no offence." Cody nodded, ducking his head.  
'It's not just you guys anymore, I intend to reach out to as many of my sons as I can. From junior cadets to senior veterans, you are all my sons. I can understand your desire to keep me to yourselves but I am in a unique position. No one else truly sees the clones as anything special. I see you though, I see you all and I know just how unique you all are. It's my responsibility to help as many of your brothers to find their talents as I possibly can.' Emily explained, gaze flicking around the group.

Hearing something behind him, Bly glanced back and sighed, shoulders drooping as he saw something over his shoulder.  
"Of course General, I'll be right there." He nodded, turning his gaze back to the group. "Sorry, gotta run. Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum buir."  
'I love you too Bly, so much. I'll see you soon, face to face.' Emily nodded, hiding her pain as he disappeared from the group.  
"Buir, there's something else you should know." Wolffe offered, brushing the insignia on his collar as he nudged Comet lightly.  
"The fleets all run on Coruscant time, as you've probably already been told. But there is a difference between Chicago and Coruscant. The days and years are the same but while it was summer when we left Chicago, we returned to winter on Coruscant. Our first Christmas back was only a month after the jump, rushed and unorganised but we gave it a shot. You jumped a little early, it's six weeks until the day we picked to be Christmas here." Comet explained, brushing the beaded band around his wrist.  
'Six weeks to plan and organise my first Christmas in this new galaxy, it's doable. I can't say for sure who I'll be spending it with but whoever sits at the table for Christmas, it'll be a wonderful time to share.' Emily grinned, altering her plans for settling into her new home.  
"My Christmas wish would be for the family to share a meal but it's not likely to happen." Echo sighed happily, remembering the Christmases they'd spent together.  
'Don't give up on your Christmas wishes just yet, life has a funny way of working out.' Emily winked, hoping she could do the impossible again.  
"You really think so buir?" Waxer asked, lighting up at the idea of Christmas with Emily.  
'You never know Waxer, you just never know. Remember all the stories I told you about Christmas miracles? Maybe it's time you boys got one.' Emily nodded, starting to plan ways to bring her boys home for Christmas. 'We have time, if not this year than next. I will see you all soon, look into your eyes and hold you close as a mother should. But until then, go back to work and let the boys know I am here, home at long last.'  
"Elek buir." They chorused, a new determination filling them now that Emily was back where they could always reach her if they needed help.  
'Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum, ner ade.'  
"Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum, buir."

Staring at the silent table once her first sons were gone again, Emily sighed and reached up to stroke Spark lightly, mind filled with wonderful memories of her sons.  
'Come on Zodiac, there's a lot to get done. I need to prepare a message to send to the Jedi and the Senate, requesting the presence of the first 28 at my new home on Christmas Day.' she uttered, shoving her pain back down and refocusing on what had to be done. 'But the top priority is figuring out how I'm going to get the long awaited reunions with my sons.'  
'I can take you buir, I'm a trained pilot.' Zodiac offered, falling into step beside her as they left the comms room.  
'No, you've got your own duties to attend to Zodiac. I'll be okay, I'm a tough woman.' Emily replied, gaze turning to the swirling hyperspace again.  
'General Kenobi left strict instructions that we were to do all we could to make your transition comfortable and easy. The Admiral requested that I be the one to tend to your requirements, something about a show of trust for the Commander.' Zodiac explained, everything falling into place for Emily.  
'Well then, if that's the case. We're going to need to plot the locations of all my first sons and figure out the most appropriate trip to see them all.' Emily nodded, making a mental note to talk to Obi-Wan about ordering her escort.

#~#~^~#~#

Arriving at her new compound, Emily stared in awe at the house that had been provided for her. It made her three storey home in Chicago seem like a little cottage. Six stories high, the main entrance was very grand, flanked by wings of shining white stone, towering over her head. If each window was a room and each room was set to sleep five men, she estimated that the grand house could sleep 1000 men in comfort.

Pushing down her urge to explore, she oversaw the unloading of the parked cruiser, sending all the crated supplies through to the courtyard where at least 20 different droids were waiting for instructions. Zodiac took charge of them, designating the various large storerooms on the ground floor of the south wing for each of the items on Emily's grand inventory. He even thought to assign three of the droids to unpack all the clothes and fold them neatly on the shelves in two of the storerooms and line up the assortment of footwear in a third.

The crated cats and dogs were taken straight inside and up to the second floor of the north wing, the eastern end of the floor dedicated to the dogs and the western end to the cats. Emily's carefully detailed instructions had been followed exactly, creating perfect homes for the animals to settle before being released to explore the compound.

The cattle were herded down the ramp and straight towards their new paddocks, ten of the most capable brothers working together to run the cattle through the yards and sort them into the three paddocks. Cows with calves at foot went into one, the bulls into a second and the rest of the herd got the largest paddock.

The horses were carefully led down the ramp, their handlers constantly soothing and calming them as they led their charges across the grass and into their large paddock. The odd shaped crates that Emily had been so concerned about were carried into the wooden building near the horse paddock, everything unpacked and placed on the racks as Emily instructed them to do. The carts were carefully winched down the ramp and heaved into the same wooden building, parked on the permacrete pad at the far end before the covers were removed to reveal the beautifully carved timber detailing all over them.

What remained of the animal food and bedding was gathered as well, bundled up in crates and carried into the stable where it was stacked and packed into another room, the bales stacked and the loose stuff piled in the corner. The soiled bedding was crated up too, the bravest and most dedicated carrying the mess out to a spot well away from the stable and dumped in a pile, as Emily instructed them to do.

The crates from the secure storeroom were taken to the top floor of the south wing and placed into a secure storeroom there, everything still locked and untouched, much to Emily's relief. These were her personal playthings, weapons of her past that no one could convince her to let go of. In this room, her gifted weapons were also placed, disguised among the items she had owned for many years.

A small selection of the boxes she'd packed were left in the entrance hall, and it was here Emily started with the unpacking. Opening the first box, she started setting out the photos on the shelves built into the walls, filling them with the happy and smiling faces of her first sons. The second box produced a pile of paintings, each one lovingly stuck up on the walls of the hallways leading to the east and west wings. Next came the innocent clay creations, each one placed up on the shelves with the utmost of care.


	13. Reunions

Shouldering her pack, Emily grabbed her travelling case and headed for the transport waiting beside the palace she now called home. Even with help, it had taken a week but the animals were settling and everything was unpacked, the massive house as much of a home as she could make it on her own. The rest of the effort would come from her sons as they started to make use of the relief from the war she was providing for them all in turn.

Now she had to hope that the droid staff that had been included with the home could manage the property while she was away. The trip was estimated to take two weeks, giving her a chance to reunite with her first sons and still be home in time to make the place really festive for Christmas. She left detailed instructions with the staff on what she expected with the rest of the decorations that she hadn't had time to hang but there was no way to know if the droids could get it right.

Stowing her luggage, she enjoyed one last look at the house as she sat beside Zodiac and tried to relax. Space flight was still such a strange experience for her, she'd expected weightlessness the first time she'd boarded a smaller craft and found it disappointing when she was kept in her seat throughout the flight. Once they were up and orbiting the planet, Zodiac agreed to turn off the inertial dampeners and played with Emily in the safe confines of the hold, laughing and having such fun as they drifted.

Shooting Emily a smile, Zodiac powered up the engines and headed for open space, so proud to be the lucky one escorting Emily through the transition. Whenever she wasn't working on making the house a home, she was with him, learning their technology and expanding her understanding of what her sons faced every day.

#~#~^~#~#

Glancing up from his discussion with Senator Organa when a Republic transport flew overhead, Fox got a feeling that today was going to be special. Pushing that feeling aside, he returned to his conversation about Emily and her new compound, just getting a feel for the conditions Emily was now living in and making sure the Alderaan Senator understood just how important Emily was to the GAR.

Hearing running footsteps behind him, Fox whipped around, drawing his pistols and moving in front of the Senator in one smooth movement. At first, he couldn't recognise the figure in the long red hooded cloak, black pants and white shirt. But when the hood fell back and he saw who was running towards them, he holstered his sidearms and broke into a run, arms flung wide.  
'Buir!' he called, yanking his helmet off as he moved.  
'Dearest Fox.' Emily beamed, colliding with him and pulling him into a loving hug.  
'It's so good to see you again, buir.' Fox uttered, holding tight to the only woman who really cared about him. 'Are you well?'  
'I'm fine, Fox. I'm more interested in how you're holding up.' Emily replied, drawing back a little to gaze into his eyes.  
'I'm okay, buir. Between work and guiding my brothers, I don't have a lot of time to bead anymore but I still find a few minutes every day to get some done.' Fox shrugged, pulling off his gloves and reaching out to touch her hair.  
'That's good; I was worried you'd be too busy to stick with what I taught you.' Emily nodded, cupping his cheek softly.  
'Never buir, I'll fight for my basic rights. The Senators try to take my downtime but I won't let them, it's only one day a month where I don't have to be Commander Fox, head of the Coruscant Guard. I can just be Fox, a beloved son and a young man with his own interests.' he replied, reaching into one of his belt pouches and pulling out a highly ornate, multi-coloured choker style necklace. 'It's a bit late but happy lifeday buir.' he offered, holding it out to her.  
'It's beautiful Fox, vor entye.' Emily praised, turning and crouching a little so Fox could fasten the necklace into place.

Admiring the woven strands when Emily turned around again, Fox offered his hand and turned back towards Senator Organa, still waiting patiently nearby. Smiling softly, Emily took his hand, as a mother would lead her child and strode towards the waiting Senator, Fox happily walking at her side. It felt so perfect, mother and son in harmony, even though there was nothing truly binding them as family. That made them the perfect family, by Mandalorian standards. Bloodline didn't matter, only the love they both knew.

Keeping a sharp watch for threats, Fox kept a gentle hold of Emily's hand, trusting in her to keep him from getting into trouble as she spoke with the Senator. Smiling softly, Emily reached up to stroke his hair for a moment before turning her full attention to the older man, taking in his expensive clothes and friendly face.  
'Buir, this is Senator Organa of Alderaan. Senator, this is my buir, Emily Hunter, formally of Earth.' Fox offered, letting go of his officer mantle for a while.  
'Ah, so you're the one I was told to speak to regarding any needs I have so I can continue providing a much needed mother figure to the clones.' Emily remarked, hardly impressed but she had to try and make nice.  
'I trust your compound is to your liking.' Organa nodded, watching Emily closely.  
'I'm not sure how I'll go tending to so many at once but with the droids provided, I think I can handle the groups. 1000 men at a time, it's a big ask but I'm confident I can provide what they need. Hopefully all the clones take to the offered freedom as willingly as the first 28.' Emily shrugged, glancing at Fox.  
'We've already made a start on teaching the brothers what they want to know. We help each other out via the holonet and messaged vids. Stone has been learning from Kix and Ponds has shown quite a gift for percussion, thanks to Sinker.' Fox added, proud of his men for trying different things and learning about culture. 'Thire has taken to painting, Sketch is teaching him the basics. Jek took over cooking for the officers, 99 and Chopper have both been guiding him.'  
'I knew it was a good idea to stock up on music books and instruments, I've got a feeling a lot of the boys are going to take to music quite happily.' Emily chuckled, thinking about the stockpiled equipment back on Alderaan. 'if you will excuse us, Senator, I don't have a lot of time to share with Fox before I have to move on to the next stop on this whirlwind tour of the galaxy.' she added, dipping her head respectfully before leading Fox away.

Practically bouncing, Fox led Emily back to the Guard barracks and up to the officers' only area. Stepping through the door, Emily smiled fondly at the sight inside. Three brothers were sitting around, one at the table writing, one at an easel in the back corner and the third sitting on the floor and tapping on his own armour to create a beat.  
'Stone. Ponds. Thire.' she called softly, drawing their attention from their hobbies.  
'Buir?' Stone blinked, getting to his feet slowly.  
'You really did come.' Thire uttered, putting his paintbrush down and stepping away from his art.  
'The stories are true.' Ponds chuckled softly, grabbing Stone's hand and heaving to his feet.  
'Elek, boys. The stories are true, I really am here.' Emily nodded, opening her arms to the boys.

Ponds approached first, trembling fingers touching her arm before he stepped into her embrace, moulding to her left side and enjoying the closeness. Shaking off his disbelief, Stone moved in closer, so gentle with Emily as she held him against her right side. Squeezing in between his older brothers, Thire sighed softly and hugged Emily around the waist as she nuzzled his cheek and tried to hug the trio all at once.  
'You've obviously been working hard to bring the Coruscant Guard on board with my plans.' she grinned, glancing back at Fox.  
'It was my bicycle at first, everyone was excited to have a go and try to master such a challenge. After that, it was easy to get them to try other things.' Fox shrugged, standing back and letting his brothers have their special time with Emily.  
'I just wish I could stay longer with you boys. But I've got to keep moving, there are so many who need my attention.' Emily sighed, slowly releasing the trio and stepping back. 'Aww, don't be sad Stone. I'll see you again, whenever you get your rotation onto Alderaan for a month of great mother/son time. You all will, and I'll give you all the attention you need without being unfair.'  
'When do you have to go again buir?' Fox asked, reaching out to her.  
'I've got another hour or so but then I really should get going.' Emily replied, remembering Zodiac's warnings about travel times to the more distant fleets.  
'Before you have to leave, would you read us a story?' Thire asked, eyes lighting up with hope.  
'I know just the one. Fox, do you have that fairy tale book somewhere handy?' Emily nodded, not really surprised when Ponds moulded back to her side.  
'It's in my room, I'll go get it.' Fox replied, turning and running from the room.

#~#~^~#~#

Whistling a merry little Christmas tune, Wolffe wandered into the bunkroom he shared with his pack with a large washing basket of clean laundry. Swinging it onto the crate table in the middle of the room, he started sorting the triple load of laundry, his dearest brothers waiting at the ends of their bunks for anything that flew their way. Before Chicago, it hadn't mattered so much about sorting laundry, so long as everyone had the right number of everything, it was fine. But now, they all had their own style and it was so much easier when it came to laundry.

First came the tee-shirts, each one vaguely folded before it went flying from the basket. Boost liked them a little tighter, Comet preferred them looser, Spitter tended to tear out the sleeves and Sinker wore them as they came. Wolffe preferred tighter shirts as well but also tended to shorten the sleeves and show off a few of his Chicago scars.

Then it was jeans, Wolffe finding his rhythm easily. The tight, hugging jeans were his, they were the easy ones to pick. Boost had them loose to the knees and tight over the calves, Sinker liked his tight but not hugging, Spitter wore his quite baggy and loose so he could hide weapons and things in his pockets and Comet wore a standard and very comfortable fit.

At the bottom of the basket, neatly folded underwear and socks. The socks weren't so important, they all wore the same, warm and soft socks. But their underwear, the most personal of possessions, was personalised for comfort. Comet went for boxer briefs, similar to standard issue gear but shorter. Boost preferred loose cotton boxers, he claimed they were cooler. Sinker was more comfortable with briefs, his reasons kept private. Spitter wore mesh, sports underwear, supportive and cool even in the heat of battle. Wolffe was quite happy with his jock straps, finding them to fill his need for comfortable and supportive underwear.

Gathering up his own laundry, Wolffe carried it over to his bunk as his boys gathered up the last of their laundry and piled it into the empty basket. Mostly it was sheets and towels, all standard issue stuff so it wasn't as important as their personal civilian clothes. Picking up the basket, Boost waited for Wolffe to toss his sheets and towel in with the rest before sweeping from the room, basket resting on his shoulder. He came back a few minutes later, the last of their washing safe in their private laundry room.

Chatting idly about their hopes for Christmas as they folded up their clothes, the pack had no idea what was about to happen. So focused on putting away their clothes and remaking their beds, they didn't hear the door slide open or the soft footsteps padding against the mat on the floor, a Christmas gift from Gus to Boost the year previous.  
'Well, look at you boys.'

Dropping what they were doing and turning to face the speaker, no one could believe what they were seeing. There was Emily, dressed from head to toe in various shades of grey, a happy smile on her face. Abandoning their laundry, the group completely enfolded Emily in their embrace, her soft curves disappearing behind a wall of muscle. Laughing long and loud, Emily spun from one warm hug to another, sharing her love equally between the five men crowding her.

Dizzy but so very happy, Emily eventually broke from the group and headed for the only bunk without a pile of clothes sitting on it. Sitting down, she smiled as her boys gathered around her feet, looking up at her with such devotion.  
'How long are you staying for buir?' Sinker asked, so glad to see Emily again.  
'Not long enough, ad. I have a few hours before I have to move on again, there are still many brothers for me to see.' Emily sighed, once again wishing that she had more time. 'but I haven't given up hope of Christmas together, my first 28 sitting around the big table and having so much fun.' she added, perking them up again.  
'Do you have to go again, buir?' Wolffe this time, reminding Emily all over again about just how young they really were. 'You always take the best care of us.'  
'Wolffe, my dear son, by the looks of this room, you're doing an admirable job of keeping your younger brothers safe and well. I'm proud of your efforts and I know you'll keep going like this, leading the boys through the trials of life in my absence.' Emily grinned, reaching out and drawing Wolffe into her lap. 'Don't think I'm dumping the responsibility on your shoulders alone, Wolffe. I'll be asking many of the first 28 to help with their younger brothers now. With so many brothers needing my attention, I can't be there for all of them all the time. Help like yours will be vital to the future of this project.'  
'You can count on us buir.' Boost promised, pressing closer to her.  
'I understand buir.' Wolffe nodded, enjoying the cuddle after so long feeling cold and alone, despite his brothers trying to warm his spirit.  
'Now, how about you boys show me what you've been up to for the last year. I'm sure you've all come a long way.' Emily coaxed, eager to get a look into the lives of her boys again.

Scrambling to their feet, her boys dug out their proudest moments and hurried back, gathering around to soak up her praise as they presented her with their best works. Boost's second drawing of the Pack, her smiling face and beautiful curves right in the middle of them. Comet had written her a poem, the words a little rough but he'd given it a good go. Sinker playing the video made of the night he'd played for everyone onboard, forgoing sheet music to play from the heart. Wolffe gave her his first finished story, watching intently as she flipped through it and picked out a few paragraphs before promising to read the complete story.

Spitter stole the glory though, placing a delicate white pot in Emily's hands. In the pot, a dark violet daisy was flourishing, the flower familiar from Chicago. Left stunned, Emily just gazed at the plant in wonder and disbelief, amazed that he'd managed to grow something so fragile in such a hostile place. The boys registered her wonder and stopped scrabbling for attention, everyone else moving back so Spitter could be the star.  
'This is incredible Spitter. I had no idea you took a plant from the garden. And somehow you've kept it alive through everything you've been through over the last year.' she uttered, gaze dropping to the young man sitting at her feet.  
'I didn't take a plant, buir. Just a few flowers, carefully dried and bagged up. I tried to grow many seeds before one sprouted and grew so beautifully.' Spitter replied, practically trembling with excitement as Emily regarded his plant.  
'Of all the things I expected my boys to achieve, this is far beyond my wildest dreams. Well done Spitter, this is truly something to be proud of.' Emily nodded, astonished by just how healthy the daisy was.  
'I've got others growing now, not as big but I know how to get the best out of the seedlings now. When the next lot is bigger, I'm hoping to give one to General Koon and keep another for us to enjoy and I want you to keep this one, buir.' Spitter explained, looking back to where he'd built a growing shelf from old crates and other materials scrounged from around the ship.  
'I…vor entye ad, I'll treasure it always.' Emily flushed, humbled by the gift and trying to figure out where it would look nicest. 'I'll put it near the window in my bedroom so I'll always see it when I need the reminder of just how precious each of my sons are.'

#~#~^~#~#

Doing his best impersonation of the Drill Instructors Emily had told him about, Gree gave a particularly troublesome Squad his full attention, ranting and screaming for a prank gone wrong. They'd aimed for their prank to catch him but instead, the dye bucket had landed on the General and Gree had been lectured about inappropriate behaviour. It hadn't taken him long to find the real perpetrators and now he had them in full armour with full packs, in the hanger at attention. Rifles to hand and helmets tucked under their arms, they stood silent and still as he gave it to them with both barrels, getting right in their faces and warning them about consequences that he couldn't protect them from. 

Finally satisfied that they had gotten the message, he sent them to run 50 laps of the hanger before they went to clean up the mess in the hallway. Wisely they didn't complain, donning their helmets and taking off at a suitable pace, sticking together and keeping their stride even. Not satisfied with their pace, Gree unshouldered his paintball gun and gave them one last warning, nailing each of the five troublemakers in their soft spots between the plates until they were running properly. They would hurt after this was over but in the end, they wouldn't step out of line again.

Keeping a sharp eye on the troublemakers, Gree moved to a new spot in the hanger when a Republic transport came in for a smooth landing. Leaving the transport to those on hanger duty, he remained focused on the troublesome Squad, hitting another tender spot every time they slowed down. Although, if they kept slowing down so frequently, he was going to run out of ammo before the laps were completed.

Swearing under his breath, Gree whipped around to locate the source of the five purple marks now on the backs of his troublesome Squad. Splattered on backplates and across their collars to put most of the paint until their helmets, each shot was perfect and had the intended effect on the trouble makers. They were practically sprinting now.

There, crouching on the ramp of the transport that had just arrived. Wearing a floor length dress and a hooded travelling cloak, all in emerald green, it was difficult to identify the slowly rising figure but the weapon in their hands was very familiar. Bounding off the crate he was standing on, Gree ran across the hanger, weaving through his brothers until he reached the bottom of the ramp.  
'Welcome aboard, buir.' he offered, moving to the side of the ramp and extending his hand.  
'It's good to be with you again, ad.' Emily grinned, taking his hand and lifting her skirt as she disembarked from the transport.  
'Have you seen anyone else?' Gree asked, sending a message to his second regarding the troublemakers before escorting Emily from the hanger.  
'Six so far, you make seven of the first 28 that I've been able to share a few precious hours with. It's not much but with Christmas so close and the final preparations still not finished on Alderaan, it's the best I can do.' Emily sighed, tugging Gree closer and wrapping one arm around his shoulders.  
'I'll take whatever time I can with you, buir, and be grateful for it.' Gree promised, guiding her back to his private quarters.

Entering the turbolift, he set his helmet down and peeled off his gloves, revealing the black glyphs on his knuckles. Cradling his hands lightly in hers, Emily looked at the new tattoos closely, unable to read them but something told her they were important.  
'It's Mando'a, the written language of our genetic father. I made a promise that I would always fight for the family first and that promise is written here. On my left hand, buir. On my right hand, yaim.' Gree explained, the sharp letters standing out against his scarred knuckles. 'Mother and home, the two most important things I've carried since Chicago.'  
'What about your brothers? Don't you fight for them as well?' Emily asked, humbled once again by the devotion her boys showed her.  
'Of course. I wear them inside my armour, names in a neat list on the inside of my chestplate. They are my shield as I am part of theirs.' Gree nodded, leaning back against the turbolift wall and releasing the catches holding his chestplate secure.

Accepting the armour plate, Emily looked at the list, recognising the glyphs that matched Gree's knuckles and guessing the rest. It wasn't an easy language to read but with time and practise, she knew she'd get it right.  
'I heard that 99 traded music lessons with one of the trainers on Kamino to get tattoo work of his own done. Without armour to paint our names on, the rumours say he got all our names tattooed on his chest, a permanent reminder that he is worth so much to so many.' Gree shrugged, accepting his chestplate back and buckling it into place again.  
'When I find out for sure, I'll let you know. Emily grinned, taking his hands again and gazing at the promises in his skin.  
'I have another one, perhaps now that you've had a chance to look at our language, you can translate it yourself.' Gree offered, reaching up to undo his collar before turning and folding the black cloth down.

Holding the cloth out of the way, Emily reached up to trace the dark brown letters on the back of his neck, trying to recognise them.  
'Okay, the second letter is M then I and the last is Y…' Emily gasped, stepping closer to draw Gree into a loving hug. 'You put my name on the back of your neck.' she whispered, blinking back tears as she imagined how much it must have hurt. 'Such a brave boy. That must have hurt so much.'  
'I kept thinking of all you'd done for us and it was easy.' Gree shrugged, sagging back into Emily's warm embrace. 'Do you like the colour? It was the closest that Tribal could get to your eyes, he had to mix the colour specifically.'  
'It's perfect Gree. I keep thinking that my sons can't surprise me anymore but then there was the plant Spitter gave me and now this…I can't believe how far you've all come.' Emily grinned, releasing Gree when the doors slid open.  
'There's so much more for me to show you buir, so long as you've got the time.' Gree offered, catching Emily's hand and leading her towards his second home.

#~#~^~#~#

Down in an unused storeroom in the belly of their cruiser, Bly calmly worked at his pottery wheel, occasionally looking around to where the rest of his class were working on their own wheels. Among the brothers, hunched over the second wheel from Earth, Aayla was also trying to complete the assigned task but she wasn't doing much better than the rest of the beginners. The task was simple enough, turn a ball of clay into a smooth, even bowl.

Stopping his wheel and bracing his unfinished project, Bly stood and moved through the class, crouching and helping his brothers' work out how to get the shape they wanted. Some were being too heavy handed, trying to force the clay into shape. Others were too soft with their hands, barely touching the clay. Each time, he crouched opposite them and guided them with the right technique to mould the clay into the right shape. It wasn't just their hands that needed to be fixed, they also had to be shown the right sped. Speeding and slowing his brothers as needed, Bly soon got each of them on track, the smooth lines of the bowls starting to come into being under their fingers.

With his brothers now getting the idea, Bly turned his attention to Aayla, crouching in front of her and gently covering her delicate hands with his.  
'With the aid of the Force, I expected you to be better at this.' he remarked, a twinkle in his eyes as he looked up at her.  
'This is far beyond anything that I have ever done before with the Force.' she replied, letting him guide her hands to create the graceful curve of the bowl.  
'Trust in your instincts General, use the gifts you have to create the bowl. It's here in the clay, you just have to bring it into existence.' Bly coaxed, turning her finger gently and starting to carve a decorative line around the forming bowl.  
'I will find it Bly.' she smiled, dropping her gaze and focusing on what she was trying to make.

Satisfied that his class were going fine again, Bly returned to his own bowl, starting his wheel and removing the supports before caressing away the damage from the supports and perfecting the circle. Hearing the door slide open, he looked up and smiled at the sight in the door. Dressed in a floor length white skirt and a bright yellow singlet, Emily stood in the door, watching the class with a proud little grin on her face.

One by one, the class finished their bowls and carried them to the racks, setting them gently in the support rings until they were dry and ready for the kiln. Washing their hands and scraping the clay from under their fingernails before leaving the room, uttering a greeting to the woman they didn't recognise as they passed her.

Only when it was only Aayla there with them did Bly make his move. Setting his bowl with the others, he darted across the room to enfold Emily in his arms. Smiling fondly as she held him, Emily kept him close as she looked at Aayla, a moment of understanding passing between them.  
'Are you well, ad?' Emily asked, gently guiding Bly back so she could look at him properly.  
'I am, buir. I've been working so hard to share my gift with the brothers.' Bly nodded, drawing away completely and heading for the racks of completed projects.  
'It looks like you've got quite a few brothers enjoying pottery.' Emily remarked, following him across the room. 'And General Secura as well.' she added, noticing the mess on the rough hewn shirt Aayla was wearing.  
'General Secura was a surprise but she is doing well so far.' Bly agreed, lifting down a long wooden box and carrying it over to Emily. 'It's late but briikase gote'tuur.' he offered, holding out the box.  
'Vor entye ad.' Emily replied, accepting the box and lifting the lid carefully. 'Oh my god. This is amazing Bly.' she gasped, setting the box down gently on the nearest table.

Not quite sure how to safely lift the gift from the box, Emily just admired them where they were, left speechless by what he'd made for her last birthday. Resting in a soft bed of cloth, a dozen red roses tied with a bright yellow ribbon. They seemed so real, the colours vibrant and her mind conjured up the scent of her favourite red roses from Earth. Touching the topmost bloom delicately, she was reminded of the clay reality but still she could smell them, her mind tricked by the beautiful recreation.  
'Once again, my boys have left me in awe.' Emily sighed, looking at Bly with nothing but love and adoration in her dark eyes. 'Spitter's growing flowers in their barracks, Fox is selling his jewellery to Senators and civilians alike, Gree amuses the children he encounters with his whimsical carvings and Bly, you're a truly brilliant artist. You could make credits off this sort of work.' she praised, stepping around the table to hug him close again.  
'I already have my work out there, buir. Not for profit, to help those who lost everything to the war. We helped on Ryloth a few months ago, I gathered my best students and we produced plenty of earthenware for the Twi'leks to use.' Bly grinned, so proud of what he'd done.  
'I always knew you had a big heart Bly. I am so proud of you, you've come a lot further than I anticipated.' Emily nodded, stroking his cheek softly.  
'I have more to show you buir, if you've got the time.' Bly offered, walking over to seal away her clay roses before lifting the box from the table.  
'I've got some time, not much in the long run but I can spare a few hours before I have to move on again. There are still so many brothers I have to see before Christmas.' Emily agreed, taking her gift and following Bly from the workroom.

#~#~^~#~#

Trudging into the mess hall for lunch, 99 got the shock of his young life. It was unusual enough to see General Ti in the mess at this hour, she usually took her lunch in the privacy of her quarters, as an escape from the clones she had to work with all the time but today, she was sitting at the raised table in the corner. No, the really strange thing was the figure sitting opposite the General, holding their own against the Instructors also at the table. The stranger was dressed in a tight fitting purple bodysuit, a matching long Kama around their hips and a short hooded cloak as well.

Collecting his meal, 99 hobbled for his usual spot but General Ti called him over to join them at the raised table. Concerned about what such an invitation meant, 99 followed the request, stepping up onto the platform and sitting at the end of the table.  
'How goes the cultural training?' one of the Instructors asked. 99 never bothered to learn their names, they treated him like dung under their boots so one striking up a conversation with him was a very strange situation.  
'It goes well. Art and music seem to be the most popular classes, sketching and vocals in particular.' he replied, still not sure why he'd been called to join the Instructors and General at the raised table. 'There has been increased interest now that they know buir is in the area. Many of them are excited for their first chance to meet her face to face.' he added, tucking into his lunch and trying to relax for a few precious minutes.

Slowly the Instructors left until it was just him, the General and the stranger in purple. Finishing his meal, 99 went to leave, but the stranger shifted closer and reached out to rest one hand on his arm, stopping him from leaving. Turning to look at the stranger, he nearly fell off the bench in surprise. This was no stranger, he'd been sitting so close to Emily and hadn't even realised.  
'Buir, what brings you here?' he asked, scooting along the bench to press against her side lovingly. 'Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I would have cleaned up a bit.' he added, looking down at his stained clothes.  
'I wanted to surprise you 99, just as I've already surprised so many of the first 28. Don't fuss about the state of your clothes, I remember the messes you got into in Chicago.' Emily chuckled, leaning in to drop a kiss on his forehead.  
'I wasn't as bad as some. Remember the mess Echo and Fives got into after that first big storm?' 99 countered, so glad to be back in the loving arms of his mother.  
'Two dirtier boys you never did see.' Emily agreed, remembering the day clearly. 'But speaking of your brothers, I come bearing gifts for you from some of them. I haven't seen all the first 28 yet but those I have seen asked me to bring you a few things.'  
'Vor'e buir.' 99 replied, wondering what things his brothers had sent.

Finishing her meal without giving any sign of how bad it tasted, Emily smiled and stood, dipping her head respectfully to General Ti before picking up her tray and following 99 from the mess, never losing contact with him as they walked along the corridors of his secondary home.  
'Buir, as much as I want to admire the gifts sent by my brothers, there's something important I need to show you. Few know of the place I'm going to show you, I don't know of anyone else that ever escaped. I escaped because I had a use, most aren't so fortunate.' 99 explained, leading Emily through the maze of corridors as quickly as he was able.

Completely lost and just blindly following 99, Emily had no idea what he was leading her towards but when he opened the door, her stomach dropped. He'd led her into a barracks style room, the walls bare of any decorations or windows, bunks stacked four high in a circle around the walls of the room.  
'Welcome to the barracks of the forgotten. Every time the Kaminoans get it wrong, one is chosen to survive and the rest are destroyed. We are reminders of what were wrong and what not to do again. No one else knows of the existence of this room, we are the shame of the cloners.' 99 sighed, moving deeper into the shadowy room.

Swallowing the bile in her throat, Emily stepped into the room properly, looking around at the broken and beaten brothers that had been abandoned. Then something really caught her attention, bringing tears to her eyes as she hurried across the room to answer the desperate cries of a helpless babe. She found him in a makeshift cot attached to one of the bottom bunks, malformed limbs flailing uselessly.

Humming softly, Emily picked up the screaming babe and held him to her chest, rocking slowly as she worked to calm him. Pacing the room slowly, she managed to quiet the baby boy, much to the relief of those around her.  
'99, is there any chance of getting some more light in here? It's hard to know what I'm facing in this shadowy world.' she asked, keeping the little boy safe against her chest.  
'Of course buir, one moment.' 99 replied, mismatched footsteps on the floor before the lights came up to a more comfortable level.

Finally able to see the situation properly, Emily realised just how wrong she'd been. She'd always believed that 99 was the worst case of physical disfigurement she'd see in this galaxy. But standing in this room, surrounded by the forgotten, she realised just how wrong she'd been. 99 was one of the better cases, imperfect but at least he was reasonably mobile and capable of helping out. Everywhere she looked, she saw desolation and helplessness.

Forcing calm, she first turned her attention to the baby in her arms. Easing him back from her chest, she eased him down on the nearest bunk and knelt beside the bed, gently peeling the blanket back. What she found knocked the wind out of her again. All four limbs were twisted and likely would never be much use to him. There were clear scars on both legs, thick and ugly, signs that this dear little boy had suffered more than any child should have to suffer. Wrapping him up again, Emily lifted him to her chest and stood, looking around at the rest of the brothers.  
'99, a word in private.' she requested, heading for the door with her tiny charge.  
'Of course, buir.' 99 replied, heading to follow her. 'Be at peace, my brothers. Buir will not abandon you, any of you.' he soothed, looking around the room slowly.  
'Tun the lights back down, vod.' someone instructed, pulling the covers over their head.  
'I will vod, don't worry.' 99 nodded, plunging the room into shadow again as he left.

Leaning against the wall outside the room, Emily cried silently, still clutching the babe to her chest. Sniffing softly, she lifted her gaze and managed a shaky smile as 99 rested against her side, offering what comfort he could.  
'I can't help them 99, not right now. I still don't have the house set up for my sons and certainly not special needs cases like those ade in there. I will speak with Senator Organa when I get home, he'll take my case to the Senate and hopefully force the Kaminoan Senator to hand over the forgotten to my care.' she uttered, shifting the baby to one arm and wrapping the other around 99 gently.  
'Do you really think you can make a difference for all of them?' 99 asked, looking up at her sadly.  
'I do, 99. It won't be easy, I'll probably need to get some caretaker droids to help out but I'll do the best I can for them.' Emily nodded, rocking the babe slowly when he whimpered. 'But this little one will never suffer again. He's coming with me today, it won't be hard to sneak a baby out of the complex.' she promised, wishing she could take them all now but she had to be smart.  
'Of all the forgotten, he's the hardest one to deal with. He was abandoned a month ago, we've been working together to care for him when the nanny droids don't get time.' 99 sighed, gaze shifting to the resting babe.  
'Does he have a name yet?' Emily asked, brushing the blanket back so she could look at the innocent face.  
'No, we couldn't decide on an appropriate name for him. He's just CT-66-666.' 99 shrugged, wishing he had better news for Emily.  
'Not anymore. From now on, he'll be my Angel.' Emily replied, the name coming easily as she turned and gently placed the child in 99's arms.  
'Well done little one, you're going to have the life we can only dream of. Enjoy it and I'll see you around some day, dear Angel.' 99 whispered, so happy for his baby brother. 'I know a back way to the landing pads, the Kaminoans will never know you've gone.' he added, handing Angel back to Emily carefully.  
'Lead the way, ner ad.' Emily nodded, cradling Angel close as they hurried down the corridors.

#~#~^~#~#

Hard at work in his office, Cody longed for just a few minutes where he could dust off his guitar and play but after a week of near constant fighting, he was severely behind on his paperwork. So for now the games were at an end, he had to be a serious officer until he caught up with the never ending paperwork.

Looking up when someone chimed for entrance, Cody sighed and put his latest report aside as he called for his visitor to enter. He couldn't hold back a smile when the door slid aside to reveal Chopper standing there with a covered plate in his hands.  
'You missed lunch, Sir.' he shrugged, walking over to set the plate in front of Cody. 'I made your favourite, braised nuna legs with root veg and fungi.'  
'Thanks Chopper, it smells really good.' Cody grinned, accepting the cutlery and tucking in gratefully. 'You keep getting better and better with your cooking.'  
'Someone has to make sure you eat properly.' Chopper shrugged, settling in an empty chair and looking around at the datapads waiting for Cody's attention.

Enjoying the closest thing to a real home cooked meal he'd had in months, Cody sighed and swung his gaze back to Chopper, regret slamming into him again.  
'I haven't been the best brother lately, have I Chopper?' he asked, putting his cutlery down and picking up one of the legs on his plate.  
'You've done the best you could, Sir. Even as hard as the last week has been, your constant training made sure that despite it all we came out without a single dead brother.' Chopper replied, choosing his words carefully.  
'Not in that way Chopper, I know I'm handling the Commander side of my duties. It's my older brother responsibilities that I'm worried about. When was the last time we sat and played music together? I still owe Sketch a portrait sitting, it's been a month since he asked.' Cody shrugged, glancing over to where his guitar was leaning in the corner.  
'It's been a while, ori'vod.' Chopper nodded, glad to see Cody was appreciating his latest meal attempt. 'But no one blames you for not being as active as an older brother, we understand that you need to focus on keeping us safe on the battlefields.'

Finishing his meal, Cody looked at the datapads still waiting for his attention and shook his head as he stood. The work would still be there later, right now he wanted to enjoy his brothers and the gifts buir had given them. Stripping off his bodysuit, he changed into a comfortable pair of loose jeans and a white singlet before pulling on his joggers and grabbing his guitar.  
'Fuck the paperwork, it's just after action reports now. They can wait, it's been too long since I got to play my heart for the boys.' he grinned, striding from his office with a new purpose.  
'Will you play us something for Christmas, ori'vod?' Chopper asked, falling into step beside him.  
'Of course I will, vod'ika. We'll just have to see what comes out this time.' Cody chuckled, glad that his office wasn't too far from the hanger.

But as they approached the hanger, they started to hear something that went far beyond what was normal onboard the Negotiator. Usually there would be one or two music lessons going on and either Sketch was taking an art class or Gus had his weaving class, the classes rotated each day so everyone got their turn. But by the sounds of things, everyone was teaching at once, filing the hanger and surrounding corridors with music and voices.

Entering the hanger, the reason for the chaotic celebration became apparent. Dressed in a golden-yellow skirt and shirt outfit, a purple wrapped bundle in her arms, Emily had come to them at last, gliding around the hanger, watching and listening to the various lessons all around her with a proud little smile on her beautiful face.

Clapping Chopper on the shoulder, Cody left him standing in the doorway and headed towards Emily. Rather than approach her straight off though, he found an unoccupied crate and opened his guitar case. From out of the crowd, several of his brothers gathered around him, their Naboo made guitars already out and tuned. Smiling fondly at his class, Cody jumped up onto the crate and started to play, weaving a slow ballad into the chaos of different music around them. Any other day he'd invite his class to join him with the song but today, he signalled for them to observe and learn silently. He wanted to play his heart for Emily, performing a song that no one could match.

Weaving back through the brothers, Emily stopped beside the guitar class and looked up at Cody, still cradling her purple bundle. Looking down, Cody lost his rhythm when he realised what Emily had in her arms. It wasn't just a random bundle of something, she was holding a baby clone. Jumping down from the crate, he instructed his class to play a few simple songs before leading Emily away from them.

Stopping near her transport, Cody slid his guitar to rest against his back and looked at his mother in confusion, unsure about the child in her arms. There was no mistaking the baby for anything but a very young clone but why would she take him from his home?  
'Cody, don't worry about Angel right now. I'll explain his presence in good time.' Emily coaxed, shifting the baby into her left arm and reaching out to tip Cody's chin up. 'Right now, I want to hear how you are. I've missed you Cody.'  
'I'm okay buir, been busy with officer duties for the last week. We've seen some hard action, lots of wounded but we've been lucky, no dead for the moment.' Cody replied, gently embracing his mother. 'Have you spoken to the others yet?'  
'I have. I've been waiting for you to make a showing, I was just about to send Punch to fetch you. Chopper's plan didn't seem to be working. I'm glad it did though.' Emily grinned, rocking the baby slowly. 'I don't have a lot of time left before I have to move out again.'  
'Why didn't you just comm for me, buir? I would have come running to your call.'  
'I know you would have Cody, but I also know just how important your work is to the continuing survival of the 212th. Part of a mothers' role is knowing when to step back and let their children grow their independence. I wouldn't have left without seeing you, I love you too much to ever do something like that.' Emily replied, reaching into the bag over her shoulder and producing a bottle then proceeding to feed the baby in her arms.  
'Buir, why did you take a baby clone from Kamino?' Cody asked, daring to touch one finger against one soft cheek.  
'99 introduced me to the forgotten, the rest of the bad batchers kept in secret in the darkness of the lower levels of Tipoca City. For now, I am not equipped to help the forgotten brothers, I'll have to have a specialised house built for them. I couldn't just walk away from them though, I had to try and save at least one right there. Of all the lives I could have saved, this one was the most precious, the one with the best chance of a good life. CT-66-666, now named Angel, will grow up in a loving environment and hopefully one day will walk as tall as anyone else.' Emily explained, motioning for Cody to unwrap the cloak wrapped around Angel.

So careful with his baby brother, Cody unwrapped the cloth slowly, always keeping one hand against his tiny body so he didn't fall. Peeling away the layers, he was horrified by the physical damage to this little brother. Arms curled into his chest, the joints swollen and possibly fused, legs twisted into a very unnatural position under his buttocks, the joints again mangled beyond any real use, it was clear just how useless the Kaminoans thought this boy was.  
'You're the luckiest vod'ika in the galaxy. Our buir will take the best care of you.' he uttered, fingers gently tracing the surgery scars running down his legs.  
'Do you want to hold him, Cody?' Emily asked, putting away the empty bottle and pulling a small towel from her bag.  
'I don't know how but I'd like to learn.' Cody nodded, captivated by such a tiny clone. He knew they were there on Kamino but he'd never been this close to one.  
'It's easy, just relax and I'll show you how. But first, put your guitar down out of the way and drape this over your shoulder where you think you'll be most comfortable to hold Angel.' Emily guided, holding out the towel.

Leaning his guitar gently against the nearest landing strut and smoothing the towel over his right shoulder, Cody reached out to take his baby brother, hands sliding over the loose grey jumpsuit he was wearing. With Emily's soft guidance in his ear and her hands showing him where to place his, Cody soon had his baby brother held safely against his shoulder, one hand under his bottom, the other lightly rubbing his back.  
'Be aware, he's just been fed so he might spit up on you.' Emily warned, hiding her smirk when Angel burped and left a fairly large deposit on Cody's shoulder.  
'Is he meant to do that?' Cody asked, turning so Emily could mop up the worst of the mess with a second towel.  
'It's perfectly normal for young babies. He'll stop when his gut is properly developed.' Emily nodded, bagging up the second dirty towel and shoving it back in her shoulder bag.  
'I'll bet you feel better now, hey vod'ika.' Cody chuckled, bouncing gently on his toes.  
'Aww, look at you Cody. You're a natural with the younger vode.' Emily beamed, so proud of her older son for opening up and accepting this little babe well before he should have been known in the ranks.

Yawning wide, little Angel shifted a little and closed his dark eyes, letting out a contented little snuffle as he drifted off into a peaceful sleep. Smiling softly at the adorable image of Cody tenderly holding his disabled brother, Emily reached out and took Angel back, resting him against her shoulder and soothing him back into sleep.  
'Be safe, dearest Cody. Hopefully I will see you again at Christmas but for now, I really have to get going. It's a long flight to get to the last known location of the 501st and I don't know if they'll still be there.' Emily sighed, free arm reaching out to curl around his back.  
'I've got the tracking code for the Resolute, if that'll help you find them buir.' Cody offered, relishing the loving hug after so long apart.  
'I've already got that but if they move while we're in hyperspace, it'll be a mess trying to relocate and replot to reach them.' Emily shrugged, slowly drawing away. 'I love you Cody, so much.'  
'Love you too, buir.' Cody replied, collecting his guitar and moving back to a safe distance. He stayed there and watched until the transport was out of sight, stealing away their mother again.


	14. A Mother's Fury

Huddled around a low fire for warmth, no one dared to speak. They were alone on a hostile world, abandoned by their General, hopefully by mistake, but they didn't know for sure. It was so cold, the snow at least three feet deep all around them and spilling into the tiny cave they'd managed to find. Unknown creatures stalked in the night, their high-pitched, grating calls sending shivers down spines not accustomed to this sort of mindless fear.

Their greatest concern, however, wasn't about the beasts outside or their lack of wood or other flammable stuff to keep the fire going. No, they were all terrified that tonight would be the night that they said goodbye to someone they cared deeply about. In the back of the cave, protected by the rest of the group that had been left behind, Rex was unconscious. Armour tossed aside in the rush to treat his wounds, the remaining shreds of his bodysuit shirt formed into a rough pillow for his head and his back a bloody mess despite the best efforts of Kix, it was touch and go if he would survive.

Kix had come up with a crazy plan to help keep Rex alive but it also increased the risks of losing him if the plan didn't come together properly. After much discussion, they agreed to take the risk, still confident that rescue would come. Using the discarded parts of Rex's armour, they carefully packed snow around him, bringing his body temperature down to slow his internal organs and hopefully keep him alive for longer. The risk of course was taking his temperature too low and giving him hypothermia and that would be a deadly situation without proper warming equipment.

They took turns to sit watch by their wounded leader, callused hands resting on the back of his neck, fingers against his pulse point so they could be sure he was still alive, still holding on for the rescue that would come eventually. There was little else they could do but keep watch over Rex, check the area just outside the cave for more flammable material to be thrown their way by the driving winds and blinding snow and wait for rescue.

#~#~^~#~#

Whimpering in his sleep, Tup pressed closer to Dogma's hip, mind assaulted by unknown demons given life by the howling wind and calling beasts outside. Shifting slightly, Dogma leant back against the rock at his back and lightly trailed his fingers through Tup's hair, reworking out the kinks from the band that usually held the long locks up in a high bun.  
'Shhh, its okay vod'ika. I'll keep you safe; no one will hurt you tonight.' Dogma soothed, brushing aside his own need for sleep in order to keep the youngest brother down here safe.  
'You should get some sleep too Dogma.' Hardcase suggested, furthest from the fire as he kept watch for anything lurking outside the cave.  
'I'm okay Hardcase. I'll sleep when Tup wakes up.' Dogma replied, wishing he could offer Tup more comfort than just a rocky floor.

Wading through the deep snow, half frozen after just 15 minutes out in the snow, Fives and Cutup made it back to the safety of the tiny cave. Shivering violently, the pair got as close to the fire as they could, depositing pitiful armloads of twigs and other flammable stuff just outside the reach of the tiny fire. Moving from their places in the cave, Jesse, Echo, Hevy and Droidbait gathered around their frozen brothers, sharing what warmth they had stored up in their armour and skin.  
'How long have we been here now?' Cutup asked, burrowing closer to Droidbait and Hevy in search of one more degree of heat.  
'Nearly 11 hours.' Kix sighed, looking up from where he was on shift beside Rex.  
'Reckon it's gonna be dawn soon. It's not so dark outside.' Hardcase added, never shifting his gaze from the narrow cave entrance.  
'Here's hoping a new day brings some kriffing warmth.' Fives uttered, huddling closer to Echo and trying to relax as Jesse snuggled in as well.

Spotting something strange on his HUD, Hardcase stood and moved to the mouth of the entrance tunnel, increasing the magnification with a wink. The sight that filled his gaze could barely be believed after 11 hours sitting around freezing. Breaking through the heavy grey clouds, the familiar lines of a Republic Pelta-class frigate angling down towards them.  
'Guys, you're gonna wanna see this!' he called, turning back towards the cave.  
'It's just snow Hardcase, what's so exciting all of a sudden?' Jesse called back, refusing to move from the minimal warmth in the cave.  
'A Pelta-class frigate that just broke through the clouds.' Hardcase countered, looking back towards the ship now resting in the snow.   
'Jesse, check it out. I am not moving Rex unless it's absolutely safe.' Kix instructed, voice ringing through the small space and out to Hardcase.  
'I'm on it Kix. Tup, Dogma, you two come with me just in case.' Jesse replied, a new life coming to the group as hope was dangled in front of them.

It took them a few minutes but they soon emerged, armoured up and weapons held ready. They froze when they saw the craft waiting there for them, glistening red, grey and white paint lighting up the landscape.  
'Come on, we have to hurry. Rex is counting on us.' Jesse called, nudging Tup and Dogma sharply before starting through the snow. The top foot of snow was loose but under that, it was fairly solid so the small scouting group wasn't too severely hindered in their journey towards the frigate and a long awaited ride home.

Leading the charge, Jesse was totally unprepared for what came next. Ploughing through another snow bank, he caught his left foot on something and went down hard, plunging head first into another snowdrift. Yelping at the cold snow now tricking down his neck, he lifted his head and crawled backwards, trying to untangle his foot. Crouching beside him, Tup plunged his hands into the collapsed snow and found Jesse's caught foot, twisting it gently to the left to free it from a fallen branch.  
'You okay Jesse?' Dogma asked, keeping watch over the group just in case any of the local wildlife was lurking around.  
'Yeah, no harm done.' Jesse nodded, getting to his feet and shaking off the snow clinging to his armour.

Careful of more hidden dangers beneath the snow, they ran on, working together when the snow got really deep. They were almost there when Dogma let out a shocked cry, dropping suddenly with a splash. Dropping their weapons, Jesse and Tup hit the snow hard, inching out to grab Dogma's arms. Thinking the situation over carefully, Jesse shifted his grip to wrap his hands around both of Dogma's wrists before turning his head towards Tup.  
'Move back Tup, the ice could give at any minute.' he instructed, dragging Dogma a few inches towards safety.  
'I'm not leaving Dogma.' Tup replied, inching back a little but he was still there to grab hold if Dogma slipped.  
'You're not leaving either of us. Get back and grab my ankles. You're going to have to drag us both out of danger.' Jesse corrected, flinging his right hand forward to grab Dogma's left elbow.  
'Tup, please. I'm losing feeling in my legs, it's so cold.' Dogma tried, armour and bodysuit no match for the icy water he'd found. 'Help me, vod'ika, please.'

Scrambling back, Tup wasn't sure he could drag both older brothers from the danger zone but he was sure as hell going to try. Kicking Jesse's carbine out of the way, he set his feet and reached down to grab Jesse's ankles, holding on tight. Focus locked on Dogma, Jesse heaved him up a little bit more, ignoring the twinge in his back as he stretched out as much as he could, fingers digging in under Dogma's chestplate.  
'Ready?' Tup asked, crouching and getting ready for the big heave.  
'Go for it Tup.' Jesse nodded, tucking his chin in as much as he could.

Heaving back, Tup found him momentum and kept going, straining for each step. Slowly but surely, he managed to drag his brothers from harm. He almost had them out of danger when he felt something snap in his back. Crying out in pain, he let go of Jesse and dropped to the ground, curling up in agony. Taking the chance on the ground being stronger under his new position, Jesse came up onto his knees and heaved Dogma across the snow before turning his attention to Tup. It hurt to see his little brother in pain, both hands pressed to his lower back, instinctively trying to apply pressure to a muscle injury but his armour was in the way.

Looking up at the sound of running feet, Jesse sighed in relief, so glad to have some help with the situation around him.  
'Coric, am I glad to see you.' he grinned, still mostly focused on Tup. 'Dogma found an icy river just there, he was in up to his hips. Tup strained his back trying to haul us both to safety.'  
'We'll take good care of them Jesse. Where are the others?' Coric replied, crouching beside Tup and getting a painkiller into his system.  
'Captain Rex was seriously wounded by some of the local wildlife, the rest of the team is holed up in a cave with him over to the west.' Jesse briefed, pointing back the way they had come.  
'Patch, take care of these two. Gentle reheating for Dogma and a thorough check of Tup's back muscles.' Coric ordered, moving back to make room for the medical team behind them. 'Jesse, you'll have to lead the second team to the cave. Come on, we thought to bring enough Freeco bikes for everyone. Transporting a wounded Captain Rex might pose a little bit of a problem but we'll figure it out.'  
'You'll have to debate that one with Kix, he's been seriously stressed over the last 11 hours just trying to keep Captain Rex alive.' Jesse shrugged, glancing back at his younger brothers still on the ground as he walked away with Coric.

#~#~^~#~#

Back in the cave, Kix frantically dug the snow away from Rex, not caring about where it was going in his desperate rush to raise Rex's body temperature. The older captain had held out for 11 hours but Kix had added just a little too much snow and tipped the balance from controlling the bleeding via cooling the body to hypothermia.

Ever so carefully, he rolled Rex onto his side and got Echo to hold him there before stripping off his armour and bodysuit shirt. Stretching out on the icy ground, Kix reached out and guided Rex's limp body in close, constantly checking he wasn't making the injuries worse as he tried to warm Rex through shared body heat. Stripping off his own armour and shirt, Echo stretched out behind Rex, not quite touching the still oozing mess on his back but close enough to blanket the shivering Captain in their warmth.  
'Do you think this will work, Kix?' Echo asked, rubbing at Rex's shoulder briskly.  
'It should but it'd be better if he wasn't still on the cold ground.' Kix nodded, wishing he knew what else to do.

Looking up when a chorus of engine notes echoed into the cave, Fives got to his feet and headed outside to see what all the fuss was about. 12 Freeco speeders were just pulling up, seven more being towed along behind them. Among his brothers, all wearing their snow gear, a figure in a dark blue cloak climbed from one of the bikes, hood up to protect against the biting chill.  
'Fives? Is that you, ad?' a painfully familiar voice spoke from under the deep hood.  
'Buir?' Fives asked, voice thick with unshed tears at the reminder that someone was always watching out for them.  
'I'm here, ner ad.' Emily confirmed, reaching up to brush her hood back. 'I'm here, you're safe now, my dear boys.'

Letting their weapons fall into the snow, Hardcase and Fives darted forward to enfold Emily in their embrace, so glad to hold her again. Her presence made their suffering so much easier to bear because they knew she would take care of them, no matter what.  
'We were so afraid, buir. We thought no one was coming for us.' Hardcase uttered, so careful with Emily as he held her.  
'Shh, it's alright now dearest Hardcase. I'll keep you safe and see you make it back home.' Emily promised, working his helmet off and letting it fall so she could curl her fingers over his head.  
'It's not us you need to worry about buir. Rex was injured earlier, he desperately needs help. Kix is doing all he can but it's not enough.' Fives explained, drawing away and tugging on Emily's wrist to guide her to Rex.  
'Rex!' Emily cried, breaking away from Fives to grab the packs draped over the nose of her Freeco. 'Take me to him Fives! Coric! Double time!'  
'This way buir!' Fives nodded, racing back into the cave system.  
'Right behind you buir.' Coric added, grabbing his gear and giving chase.

Weaving through the narrow entrance tunnel, Fives burst into the central cave and hustled to Rex's side, crouching at his head and summoning a smile.  
'What are you smiling about Fives? He's slipping away. I can't save him.' Kix uttered, looking up at Fives sadly.  
'You're not fighting alone anymore Kix. Buir found us and she's brought along a full medical team. We're going to be okay, all of us.' Fives explained, moving aside so Emily could get in and check on Rex's condition.

Working out of her warm cloak and spreading it out on the floor, Emily chased Kix and Echo back so she could crouch right beside Rex and ever so gently lift him off the chilled stone floor. Humming softly to soothe him when he threatened to wake, she shuffled over and set him down on the warm cloth, drawing it over his legs and shoulders until he was safely encased in the warmth and familiar smell of home and family.  
'You really know how to get into a mess, don't you Rex? Buir's here now, I'll take care of you. Shhh, just relax dear Rex.' Emily uttered, opening the medkits she'd brought along and starting to work on his back. 'Coric!'  
'Right here buir.' Coric replied, crashing to his knees opposite her and joining with the rescue efforts. 'Kix, sitrep.'  
'No one saw the attack. We were trying to find shelter when Rex called for a medic across the comms. Domino Squad found him first, armour shredded and the snow around him stained red. He carried him to the only shelter we'd been able to find and did what we could using what we had available. I couldn't stop the bleeding, I think the creature that attacked him used some kind of an anti coagulant but I can't be sure. We utilised temperature control to ease the bleeding down to an ooze but tipped the scale 20 minutes ago towards minor hypothermia.' Kix offered, lending a hand with stabilising Rex for transport.  
'How long have you been trying to keep him stable, Kix?' Emily asked, delving into the opened kits for a coagulant agent.  
'Nearly 12 hours now. He's been out to it since we found him in the snow, we've been worried that he'd check out on us.' Kix replied, accepting the hypo of coagulant and getting it into Rex's neck. 'How did you find us buir?'  
'Admiral Yularen contacted me, informing me that due to a mission change, they had no choice but to leave you behind. The Jedi Temple had an urgent mission that was very time critical, there was no time to send a shuttle back for you. They would have come back for you but not for at least another few days. He sent me your location, asking if I could get to you sooner. I picked Coric and his medical team up at a medical station where our paths crossed, the Admiral put them there in case I needed them to keep your team alive.' Emily explained, grabbing for another cloth in one of the bags and stating to clean Rex's back again.  
'We were left behind on purpose?' Fives gaped, unable to believe what he was hearing.  
'I will speak with Skywalker and Tano about it later, Fives. One thing is for sure, I won't be chasing the Resolute to deliver you all back to them, we're going back to Alderaan. From there, I'll contact Skywalker and tell him where he can pick up those missing from his ranks.' Emily promised, most of her attention still on Rex. 'Hang in there ner ad, you can't give up yet.'

#~#~^~#~#

Racing up the ramp of the Pelta, Emily cut the engines of her Freeco and pushed the windshield open. She kept her movements to a minimum, not wanting to upset Rex as he rested in her lap, blonde head tucked under her chin. He was awake at last, she could feel the change in his breathing as she held him close.  
'Shhh, it's alright now Rex. Just relax, you'll be fine in a few days.' she whispered, brushing a soft kiss across his forehead.  
'It hurts, buir.' Rex uttered, tensing up in pain when he tried to move closer.  
'I know Rex, I know. It's only going to hurt more before it starts feeling better. Just wait a minute, Kix and Coric are just grabbing a stretcher.' Emily soothed, lightly stroking his cheek as they waited. 'You gave us a big scare Rex, I thought we were going to lose you.'

Racing back with the stretcher, Kix and Coric reached out to gently lift Rex from Emily's embrace, apologising when he cried out in pain again. Jumping down from the speeder bike, Emily lightly ran her fingers through Rex's hair, calming him again.  
'I'll come see you a little later Rex. Rest now, its alright.' she uttered, making sure he was comfortable. 'Take good care of him boys, he's been through a lot.'  
'We will buir.' Kix nodded, helping Coric hustle the wounded Captain away.

Making his way through the group around Emily, Zodiac deftly placed Angel back in Emily's arms and handed over the new baby bag. Tension flooding out, Emily cooed softly as she propped Angel up against her shoulder and worked him out of his swaddling so everyone could see he was one of them, damaged but still a brother.  
'Buir, what's going on? Why do you have a baby clone?' Cutup asked, gazing at the malformed child sadly.  
'99 pointed me towards the forgotten, the clones that the Kaminoans don't want anyone to know about. I'll go back for the others at a later date, once my home is set up to take them in comfort and safety. But little Angel here, I knew I could help him. 99 helped me sneak him out of the city, he knew Angel would be safer with me than he could ever be in Tipoca City.' Emily explained, keeping Angel close to her chest as she moved among her older sons. 'I hope to one day find a surgical team that can help Angel gain the use of his limbs.'  
'May I, buir?' Echo asked, indicating Angel with a shaking hand.  
'Carefully Echo, he's fragile.' Emily nodded, turning Angel and gently passing him to Echo, guiding her older son to cradle his baby brother against his chest tenderly.  
'Hi Angel, I'm your brother Echo. You're safe now little one, buir will keep you safe.' Echo uttered, humbled by the innocence of the babe in his arms.

Gently taking Angel back, Emily reached for the bag over her shoulder and pulled out a fresh bottle for her baby son. Latching on quickly, Angel twitched his useless limbs and gazed up at her happily, totally in love with his new mother. Smiling softly at him, Emily looked up and caught Zodiac's gaze, not at all surprised that he was still waiting for instructions.  
'Tell Warp to turn the ship for Alderaan. I'm overruling the General, we're going home. The General can chase his troops for a change.' she called, going back to calmly feeding Angel.  
'Of course buir.' Zodiac nodded, turning and running for the bridge.  
'The rest of you, go get warmed up and rest, you're safe now. Put aside your soldier concerns for a while and enjoy the peace we have now.' she added, gaze drifting around the group again.  
'Buir, what happened to Tup, Dogma and Jesse?' Hardcase asked, concerned for his missing brothers. 'We sent them to the ship before you came to find us.'  
'Jesse should be resting in one of the barracks. Tup and Dogma are in the infirmary. They're fine, minor injuries.' Emily replied, turning and sweeping from the hanger.

#~#~^~#~#

Not really surprised to be called to the bridge, Emily purposefully took her time, forcing Skywalker to wait for her. She paused to speak with her sons, reassuring them that she would always love them. Those that were asleep were tucked in again, subconsciously finding comfort from her soft hands. She even took a detour to the infirmary, spending a few minutes with her injured sons.

Finally striding onto the bridge, she smirked at the sight of a rather irritated Skywalker standing at the holotable, Ahsoka at his side. Adjusting her spare cloak, she made sure Angel was resting comfortably and approached the holotable, unrepentant for making them wait.  
"Well, you certainly took your time." Anakin scowled, irritated at Emily.  
'As far as I am concerned, my sons are worth my time. You are not. Because of your actions and lack of time, Rex could very well have died. As it stands, his survival is not a guarantee. Tup and Dogma were also injured because you did not have the time to retrieve the group you left to freeze. You did not even take the time to equip them properly. You abandoned them in three feet of snow in just their standard armour.' Emily countered, rocking Angel when he whimpered.  
"The Council ordered us to move immediately, it was critical that we reached Master Koth's fleet before General Grievous destroyed it completely. As it was, we barely made it in time." Anakin shot back, trying to defend his actions.  
'Of course, I keep forgetting that all Jedi see the clones as expendable. It is truly sickening that you can't see the error of your ways, even after all I showed you on Earth.' Emily mused, shaking her head slowly.  
"When do you estimate we will be in range to transfer the clones from your transport back to the cruiser?" Ahsoka asked, the request leaving Emily stunned.  
'I simply don't have the time to track you to another rendezvous, deliver my sons back into your care and still be home for Christmas. So instead, I will take these boys home for Christmas and you can come get them after the holidays.' Emily replied, making it quite clear that she wouldn't be budging on her decision. 'Maybe then you will remember to always make time for my sons.'  
"You can't do that Emily. The GAR is under Jedi command." Anakin insisted, refusing to give ground to her.  
'Ah, but the GAR knows me as their mother. Not just those that have sampled my love but those who only know my stories as well. They all know of their buir and are eager to hear my calls. Even Coric, a cynic until he looked into my eyes, believes in the power of their mother.' Emily shrugged, glancing to the side. 'Zodiac, we're done here. If the General tries to call back, don't bother connecting him. I have more important things to do.'  
'As you wish, buir.' Zodiac nodded, cutting the connection and setting up a comms block against the General. 'But why, buir? Shouldn't you keep the General apprised of the condition of the wounded men?'  
'If General Skywalker doesn't care enough to pick up men he sends out on assignment, why waste time reporting their condition to him. He will come to fetch them and find out all about their injuries then.' Emily replied, drawing Zodiac into a hug. 'I'll show him what happens when he abuses my sons.'  
'You really do care about all of us, millions of clones across the galaxy?' Zodiac asked, enjoying the closeness and lightly touching Angel's cheek.  
'I will do whatever have to in order to prove that every clone is precious to me, from the most helpless babe to the oldest veteran.' Emily nodded, drawing away slowly. 'You're a good man Zodiac, soon you'll be back where you belong. I just hope this war doesn't claim your life like so many others.'  
'I'll be careful buir but we're raised to be soldiers and if necessary, give our lives for the cause. But whatever my life has in store for me, my final thought will be for you.' Zodiac promised, turning and getting back to work.

#~#~^~#~#

Making it home at last, Emily had to smile at the efforts of the droids in decorating the house for the holidays. The windows were all festooned with garlands of sparkling lights and holly, two big wreaths hung on the double front doors and through the picture windows on either side of the doors, the big tree could be seen, dripping with decorations.

Grateful to be off the ship, her boys grabbed what little they had with them and headed upstairs to find their beds and have a welcome hot shower before lunch. Dogma was back to his best, a little shaky but otherwise in fine health. Rex was at least walking, the wounds on his back still a concern but Kix and Coric had done a good job of stopping the bleeding. Tup was the only one left off his feet but only for another couple of days. The injectable bacta treatments were gradually knitting torn tissues back together but Kix and Coric weren't letting him rush.

Rex's injuries were particularly concerning to both medics. They were deep and long and strangely enough, not responding to bacta treatments. They'd tried full submersion, injections and salves but nothing was making the wounds any better. In sheer desperation, they'd turned to Emily for an idea. She jumped at the idea to teach her sons again, sedating Rex and showing her medic sons how to suture deep wounds like these ones. They had watched so closely as she sutured up the deepest three, using a combination of dissolving and standard threads to neatly close the injuries. Then they had tried to replicate her abilities, first closing up the muscles, making sure to match the damage so they didn't sew the wrong bits together. Once Emily was happy with the inner layers, they pulled his skin back together as best they could. Rex would always be scarred by the incident on that frozen rock but at least his scars would be neat and easy enough to hide.

Keeping Angel tucked safely to her chest, Emily swept up the stairs behind her boys, listening as they discovered the cats sleeping on the beds and found dogs resting wherever they were comfortable. Smile widening as she strode across the first floor landing and headed towards the excitable voices, Emily finally felt at home again, surrounded by the innocence of her sons.


	15. Christmas

Dressed in her festive best, Emily waited outside and smiled at the sight of several small transports heading towards her home. Turning and coming in to land just outside the compound, the seven small transports were the best Christmas gift she could ask for, if her gut feeling was right about them. Sure enough, the ramps dropped and a few moments later, her first sons started appearing, rugged up against the chill as they shouldered packs and ran towards her.

Within seconds, Emily was totally surrounded by her first sons, everyone pushing for her attention. Hugging each one in turn, she sent them inside to put their presents under the tree and join their brothers already relaxing in the living room. They went happily, calling out to their close brothers and talking about how life had been for them.

Just as she was about to head back inside, Emily remembered counting seven transports but there had only been six different groups come to her for love and attention. Turning again, she spotted several more people emerging from the transports, Jedi by the looks of things. Casting Romus and Remus out to chase the Jedi up, Emily smirked and headed inside to enjoy the company of her sons again.

Entering the living room, her smile couldn't have possibly gotten any wider. Her treasured first 28 were totally at ease, long jackets hung up in the cupboard under the staircase and boots lined up on the mats where the melting snow couldn't cause a problem. Two of the catering droids were trundling around the room, offering trays of steaming spiced kaf and nibbles to combat the near constant hunger of her boys. Weaving through the crowd, RO-348 Kate wheeled over and gently placed Angel in Emily's arms, making sure the youngster was safe before leaving the room again. Grateful for the help of the nanny droid, Emily walked over to squeeze in between Fox and Gree, resting Angel in her lap.

The questions were silenced by the Jedi joining the group, everyone shifting to make space for their other guests. Moving stiffly, Rex eased to his feet and walked over to squeeze in between Cody and Wolffe, making it clear that he wanted nothing to do with Ahsoka at the moment. Accepting the help he knew he needed, Tup took Kix and Coric by the hands, letting them guide him into a more comfortable position. Dogma took advantage in the change of position, scrambling up to sit beside Tup, attentive to the needs of his younger brother.  
'As I expected, your actions had no purpose Emily. You just didn't want to let these men get back to their duties.' Anakin remarked, looking over the 501st men relaxing all around her.  
'As usual, you are blind to the true suffering of these young men. If you were paying attention, you would have noted Rex is moving carefully, not wanting to make his injuries worse. Tup didn't ask for help to sit up because he is lazy, he asked for assistance because his back is still not fully healed.' Emily corrected, gently handing Angel to 99 and getting to her feet. 'I know you're not proud of those injuries yet Rex, but perhaps showing them would prove my point.'

Nodding slowly, Rex eased up again and walked over to stand beside Emily, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. Gathering the warm cloth in her hands, she slid it down his arms slowly, apologising when she caught it on dressings or bumped a sore spot. Draping the discarded shirt over her shoulder, Emily smiled softly as Rex turned and let her help with the loose fitting singlet underneath, the first traces of dressings poking out over his shoulders. Turning him so his back was to Anakin and Ahsoka, Emily guided his singlet up to reveal the long white dressings from shoulders to hips, covering about 90% of his back.  
'Whatever the creature was that attacked Rex on that frozen wasteland you left them behind on, its attack is more dangerous than first understood. As you can see, most of his back was torn open. The creature injected an anticoagulant into Rex's system, making it near impossible to stop the blood loss. The best Kix could do was slow it down to just oozing out. But even more frightening, these injuries do not respond to bacta in any form. Rex is alive due to Earth based medical treatments, cooling the body to slow blood loss and sterilised thread to hold the edges of the wounds together until they eventually heal.' Emily explained, checking he dressings quickly and frowning when she saw blood soaking through in a coupe of spots. 'And once again, you've popped at least a couple of stitches down low Rex.'  
'I thought I felt them go when I was coming downstairs earlier.' Rex nodded, holding his back perfectly straight to avoid tugging on the hundreds of neat sutures in his back.  
'First aid room with you, I'll be there in a minute to patch you up again.' Emily sighed, brushing a soft kiss across his temple before letting him go. 'Coric, your turn to assist. Go scrub up, hopefully there won't be much to clear this time.'  
'On it buir.' Coric grinned, getting up and following Rex out of the room.  
'Padawan Offee, I recall something about you being a healer. Perhaps you can offer some help with this one. We're really having trouble getting his back to heal. It's been two weeks now and it's still bleeding through.' Emily offered, checking Angel was happy with 99.  
'I will see what I can do.' Barriss nodded, concerned about what Emily was describing.

The first aid room was a small room just off the foyer, perfect for dealing with the common injuries that young boys wound up getting as they played and explored the world around them. Rex was stretched out on the only bed in the room, pants pushed low on his hips and head pillowed on his discarded shirts. Coric stood at his side, disposable gloves on as he gently peeled the old dressings away to reveal the rows of black sutures all over Rex's back.  
'Just relax Rex; this'll only take a few minutes. You really do need to be more careful with these injuries; it's taking too long to heal as it is.' Emily soothed, gently wiping away the dried blood where Rex had torn his stitches again. 'Any thoughts Barriss?'  
'I have never seen injuries like this before. Just relax Captain; I will attempt to find out why you are not healing properly.' Barriss nodded, climbing up to straddle Rex and reaching out to run her hands over his back, just shy of actually touching.

Gathering the supplies she would need, Emily set it all out on the table beside the bed and turned her attention back to Rex, watching the way Barriss seemed to be plucking at something invisible. It was the strangest thing Emily had ever seen any Jedi do but whatever Barriss was doing, Rex didn't seem to be in any pain so Emily didn't question her.  
'It's a bacterium, one I have never seen before. I can remove it but I will need some kind of a sealable container to put it in as I remove it from Captain Rex. This will hurt, the bacteria is in deep and has spread through much of his back.' Barriss offered, opening her eyes slowly.  
'Will this work, Commander?' Coric asked, pulling a large sealable jar from one of the cupboards. 'Unless you need it, buir.'  
'No Coric, it's an extra one I had. You can use it.' Emily nodded, stepping back and letting Barriss make the choice.  
'It will be perfect Coric. Come over here ad hold it near my hands, I need you to stay in pace with what I'm doing.' Barriss agreed, shifting into a more comfortable position and relaxing her shoulders. 'Are you ready Captain?'  
'Yes, Commander.' Rex replied, eyes locked on Emily as Barriss started to focus on his back again, working to pull the infection out.

Slipping behind Coric, Emily reached out to take Rex's hand, comforting and calming him as Barriss pulled some kind of a greenish-yellowy blob from the depths of his back and flicked it into the container Coric was holding for her. Then out came another blob, probably about the size of an eyeball and it squished against the bottom of the jar. Back and forth her hands went, drifting over Rex's back and pulling small pieces of the greenish-yellowy muck out and flicking it into the jar.

#~#~^~#~#

Caught up in the holiday spirit, Emily's first 28 dragged Coric and his 15 man medical team along for the ride. Emily had given the boys 12 boxes of decorations that needed to be hung throughout the house. Wreaths, garlands, tinsel, baubles, angels, figures and bells; it all needed to be displayed to really make the house festive.

Digging into one of the boxes, Gree pulled out a naïve little angel made from cardboard and cloth scraps. Holding it in both hands, he stood and turned towards the Christmas tree in the foyer, wondering if he could find a spot for her among the branches.  
'What have you found Gree?' Emily asked, keeping a sharp eye on Aayla as she played with Angel for a few minutes.  
'It's one of the angels you showed us how to make our first Christmas together.' Gree grinned, turning it over and lifting up the skirt. 'This one is Dogma's.'  
'See if you can find the rest of them, I'll make some space in the foyer to display them properly.' Emily nodded, accepting Dogma's little angel and heading back into the foyer to find a shelf for them to sit together.

Digging through the boxes left in the living room, Gree came up with almost all of the angels, each one unique and so very precious to the individual makers. Brushing aside a pile of gold tinsel, he found the last few, fighting back a snort of laughter when he pulled them out.  
'I found them all buir.' he called, emptying the smallest box of other decorations and gently packing the angels inside.  
'Good boy, Gree. Bring them out here, I've got just the spot for them.' Emily praised, still moving the last few family mementos around make space for the angels.

Cradling the box to his chest, Gree wandered out to where Emily was standing and held out the box so she could position the angels on the shelf she'd selected. Most of the angels were clearly human, based on women the clones had seen somewhere in their lives. But in among the standard human figures, there were a few special characters. Emily specifically organised the angels so those special ones were at the front where they couldn't possibly be missed.  
'Do you think the Generals will like these?' Gree asked, reaching out to carefully straighten some of the halos.  
'Some of them will, others I'm not so sure about. But whatever their reactions, you know that I love them all.' Emily grinned, tugging him close and kissing his forehead.  
'I know buir but I'd like to think at least the Commander might like my efforts.' Gree shrugged, glancing around to make sure she wasn't right there behind them.  
'Next time you see her, ask her to come and have a look at them.' Emily suggested, touching his cheek softly before hurrying away to see why Angel was crying.

Buoyed by Emily's words, Gree wandered back into the living room and pulled two rolls of golden tinsel from the piles of decorations and wandered back out into the foyer. Hanging one roll off the banister, he secured one end of the other and started to wind the tinsel around the right side of the sweeping staircase.  
'Would you like some help there Gree?' Barriss asked, emerging from the direction of the library.  
'By all means, Commander.' Gree nodded, indicating the other roll of tinsel. 'However it goes really, I'm not sure how far up the staircase these rolls will go.'  
'I'm sure it will look beautiful anyway, Gree.' Barriss smiled, figuring out how to secure the roll end and starting to wind it around the dark timber.  
'Commander, when we're done with this, there's something I'd like to show you.' Gree offered, glancing back down to where the angels were on display.  
'Gree, when we're here at your mother's home, if I ever come back again, perhaps you could call me Barriss. I understand that this place is a chance for you to explore your youth and childhood. So perhaps instead of our usual Jedi/clone relationship, we can try to be more like siblings.' Barriss suggested, turning to look at him with a reassuring smile.  
'Um…I think I'd like that…Barriss.' Gree nodded, nervous about taking that step but it felt nice to call her by name. 'Just so long as neither of us will get into trouble.'  
'If it's good enough for Ahsoka and Domino Squad, it's good enough for us Gree.' Barriss grinned, enjoying the new relationship starting to spark up between them.

It didn't take them long to finish with the tinsel, securing the top ends with quick little knots under the banisters. Offering Barriss his hand and flushing faintly when she accepted, Gree led her back downstairs and up to the shelf where the angels were sitting. Reaching out, he lifted down his paired angels and placed them in her hands before sinking down to one knee so he could look her in the eyes properly.  
'I made this, the first Christmas I ever got to enjoy. Buir taught us how to make them, coaxing us to explore our creativity. I didn't need to think about it, it felt right to make mine to look like this.' he explained, looking at the double figures in her soft hands.

Gazing at the little angels, Barriss smiled proudly at what Gree had made. Even with the sparkling halos, sweeping feathery wings and white robes, it was clear he'd modelled his angels on his senior officers. Tall and regal Luminara in the back and Barriss in the front, their delicate white robes miniature versions of their daily wear.  
'These are beautiful Gree, you must be very proud of your work. Thank you for thinking of me while you were making these.' Barriss praised, handing the angels back carefully.  
'I wasn't sure if you'd like them.' Gree shrugged, returning the pair to the shelf.  
'I think they are very nice Gree. I do not think Master Unduli would say the same but I do like them. Your mother is lucky to have them.' Barriss nodded, helping Gree up and heading to get more decorations to hang.

#~#~^~#~#

Christmas Night and the family gathered in the living room, all rugged up in their pyjamas and wrapped up in blankets as they settled on the floor around Emily's feet. The Jedi had also been provided with suitable sleepwear and blankets but they weren't so interested in the story Emily was going to read to her ever attentive sons.

This was a special book, a custom make from Earth that Emily was particularly proud of. So proud in fact that whenever she wasn't reading from it, it sat pride of place on the mantle. Leather bound and detailed in gold, it held dozens and dozens of fairy tales and nursery rhymes from Earth. She hoped that this book would become an heirloom, treasured by whoever came to care for her sons after her time. But those weren't thoughts for now. Now, she had her sons around her, eager to hear the story.

Relishing the feel of the leather under her hands, Emily opened the book and flicked through to the most appropriate story for this special night. She'd read it both Christmases they'd spent together on Earth and now she promised that every Christmas night, regardless of who was there at her feet, she would read the same story. At least that would give her ever changing family one constant in their lives.  
'T'was the night before Christmas, when all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.'

As she read the story, she watched over her sons. Those that had heard the story before were just as happy to hear it again as those that were hearing it for the first time. In the middle of the group, curled up under a dark green blanket, Barriss was happily snuggled in against Gree's side, listening to the story with a childish delight. Ahsoka was in the mix as well, relaxing against Rex's shins as he rested against the couch, careful of his back. Even Angel was quiet, cradled safely to Echo's chest in his own little blanket.

Keeping her tone light and excited for what the next day would bring, Emily bounced with the rhythm of the story, weaving the magical tale around them all. Burying a yawn in his shoulder, Tup shifted and relaxed against Dogma, exhausted after a busy day playing and decorating. Smiling softly, Dogma curled one arm around Tup's shoulders, letting his younger brother rest on his shoulder.

Finishing the story, Emily closed the book and stood, stepping around her sons to return the book to its place on the mantle. Getting up, her sons filed towards the stairs, knowing that they would get their goodnights ones they were tucked up in bed. Waiting for Emily to turn around, Echo handed Angel back and turned to follow his brothers, back to pretty much ignoring the Jedi that were intruding on their special time with Emily.

Not everyone was ignoring the Jedi though, Gree had stopped at the bottom of the stairs and gone down to one knee so he could embrace Barriss properly, the pair brought closer by these private times. Luminara spotted the pair too and went to make her feelings known on the matter but Emily got to her first, handing Angel over to the older Mirialan as a distraction.  
'Let them have their time, Master Unduli. Here, Gree is not your Commander but my son. A young boy who is still learning what it is to be a man. There is nothing wrong with how he behaves around Barriss while they are here in my home, he is trying to see her as his sister, not his Commander.' Emily explained, glancing over towards the pair as they drew apart. 'The command structure won't be disrupted, Gree knows his duties.'  
'Goodnight Gree.' Barriss called, returning to the living room.  
'Sleep well vod'ika.' Gree replied, footsteps fading away as he headed up to join his brothers.  
'See, he calls her little sister and she is happy with that.' Emily uttered, taking Angel back and heading for the stairs. 'When you are ready for bed, Toby will show you the way.'  
'You called, Mistress Emily?' a grey protocol droid asked, emerging from the office.  
'Not exactly Toby. When these guests are ready for bed, take them to the fourth floor in the east wing. Everything is set out for them there.' Emily instructed, heading upstairs to bid her sons goodnight and put Angel down for a much needed sleep.

#~#~^~#~#

Roused from his peaceful dreams early the next morning by someone bouncing on his bed, Hardcase groaned and cracked one eye open, fully prepared to swat whichever of his brothers was there. But instead of bronze skin and brown eyes, he was confronted with the burnt orange skin, blue eyes and montrals of Ahsoka.  
'Come on Hardcase, we're waiting for you. Everyone else is awake.' Ahsoka grinned, giving him another shake.  
'Alright, alright. Give me five minutes and I'll be down, just wait outside while I get dressed.' Hardcase grumbled, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  
'Five minutes or I'll send Droidbait in to chase you out of bed.' Ahsoka nodded, bounding off his bed and disappearing into the corridor.  
'Now that's just plain unfair Ahsoka.' Hardcase called after her, rolling out of bed and padding over to his locker to grab something to wear.

Pulling on a warm pair of black pants, a blue turtleneck and a white jacket, he tugged his socks and boots on, checked he looked presentable and swept from the room. No surprise, Ahsoka was waiting just outside the door, rugged up in warmer clothes than her usual rather revealing outfit. Thinking for a moment, Hardcase spun and dropped into a crouch, inviting Ahsoka to jump onto his back. Laughing at their childish antics, Ahsoka held onto his shoulders as they headed for the dining room to join with the extended family for what would hopefully be a wonderful fun day together.

Striding into the dining room, Hardcase headed straight for the servery and eased Ahsoka down, guiding her around in front as they picked out their meals and headed for the tables. Making her choice, Ahsoka aimed away from Anakin and instead squeezed in between Hardcase and Coric, holding her own against the young men around her. Looking up from his meal when someone kicked him under the table, Rex grinned at Ahsoka and nodded, glad to see she was opening up again. On the Resolute, she was always up to learn more from those that had blossomed under Emily's care.  
'How is your back feeling today Rex?' Barriss asked, stopping behind him with her breakfast.  
'Much better, thank you vod'ika.' Rex replied, turning on the bench. 'Buir seems happy, she said it wasn't looking so red and angry this morning. It's not so painful either.'  
'I will have another look later Rex, just to be sure.' Barriss nodded, looking around for a moment before walking over to sit beside Gree.

Hoping that he wasn't about to offend anyone, Obi-Wan settled beside Cody and tucked into the fry-up on offer for breakfast. It was a far cry from his usual breakfast but on such a special day, he could afford to be a bit lax about his health. Besides, if it was good enough for the clones, it was good enough for him.  
'Snowball fight after breakfast?' Obi-Wan asked, nudging Cody lightly. 'Unless you're worried I'll beat you.'  
'Eight on one, we'll see who gets beaten.' Cody smirked, glancing around at his fellow 212th men. 'Even with the Force on your side, I reckon we can take you.'  
'We'll see Cody, we will see.' Obi-Wan grinned, calculating his chances of surviving a full onslaught from all eight 212th men here.

Proving once again why she was a worthy mother figure for the clones, Emily slipped in between Bly and Fox, propping Angel up against her chest and feeding him as she managed her own breakfast with just her right hand.  
'If the lake is frozen properly, can we go ice skating buir?' Wolffe asked, sipping his coffee contentedly. 'We'll be extra careful.'  
'I suppose so, just be careful out in the middle. I don't think it's frozen all the way across just yet.' Emily nodded, noting the way Kit Fisto perked up a little. 'If anyone forgot their skates, I brought plenty of spares. Storeroom 4, go find some that will fit.'  
'I'll take care of it buir.' Wolffe nodded, going back to his breakfast.

#~#~^~#~#

Rugged up against the cold, 43 clones and 8 Jedi made the most of the peace, romping through the snow and relaxing while they had time to spare. Snowball fights on the front lawn, tobogganing on the western slopes, snow angels in the courtyard, ice skating on the lake and snowmen beyond the house; everyone was out having a good time.

Even Luminara, known for being a bit of a stick in the mud, was out in the snow, trying to hit Gree with another snowball. He was too fast for her though, weaving through the snow capped trees to avoid her. Taking cover behind another tree, he bent down and grabbed a nice big double handful of snow, packing it into a tight ball easily. Darting around the tree, he let rip and ran off again, listening to the less than dignified squawk from behind him.

Taking shelter behind another tree, he dared to peek back towards Luminara, just to check how his shot had flown. To his horror, Luminara was untouched, his shot wide of her position. Instead, he'd nailed Aayla in the head, dropping her into a deeper snowdrift. A man of honour, Gree stepped out of cover and approached Aayla, open for a return shot if she decided to do so.

Letting out an almighty scream, Gree honestly had no idea what had just happened. Figuring out which way was up, Gree dug his way out of the sudden snow fall and looked around, wondering just what had happened. Aayla and Luminara were standing just nearby, laughing freely as they watched him crawl out of the big pile of snow.  
'A return shot I expected, not a sudden snow drift.' he remarked, crawling out of the drift and shaking off the snow clinging to his clothes.  
'In my defence, I am unused to cold climates. I reacted on pure instinct.' Aayla replied, pulling her hood back up now that she'd cleared out the snow.  
'In my defence, I never miss by more than an inch or two, certainly not three feet. The only way I hit you while aiming at Master Unduli is if she nudged my snowball with the Force.' Gree shrugged, turning his gaze to his General.

Also turning to Luminara, Aayla closed her eyes and made a pulling motion with her hands. Suddenly a large swathe of snow left the roof of the house and crashed down on Luminara, burying the Mirialan Jedi to her neck. Cracking up laughing, Gree turned and ran off to rejoin the growing snowball fight.

#~#~^~#~#

The rest of the day went by in a blur of good food, family and incredible fun. Presents were exchanged in all directions; hand made gifts to everyone from the clones, new toys and clothes from Emily to her boys old and new, donations of money and equipment from the Jedi to Emily's establishment and in return, she gave them produce from her kitchen. The Jedi had no gifts for the clones but there was no greater gift than had already been given, the gift of Christmas at home with their mother.

Freshly showered and warmed up after a wonderful day playing in the snow, the family gathered by the light of hundreds of flickering candles to have a light meal of leftovers to finish the day. After the noise of the family lunch, complete with crackers and silly jokes, a nice relaxed meal was the perfect end to a perfect Christmas.

But before anyone left the table, Chopper called for their attention, promising a perfect end to their meal, made by his own hands. No one knew what to expect as Chopper left the table and disappeared into the training kitchen, a smaller kitchen for teaching anyone who wanted to learn what Emily knew of cooking.

He came back a few minutes later with a glorious example of what he'd learnt in the kitchen, wheeling out a trolley of perfect, airy chocolate soufflés. Handing them around carefully, warning everyone to be careful of the hot dishes, he waited to see what they thought of his most daring effort yet. Only once everyone else had tucked in did he start on his own.  
'Chopper, this is amazing. I knew you were a talented cook but this, I never expected such a tricky dish after the few lessons you've had.' Emily praised, awed by the flavour and texture of the soufflé.  
'It's so delicate to eat, it practically disappears on the tongue.' Fox agreed, taking his time to savour the treat. 'You've done really great on these.'  
'I don't suppose you'd consider a transfer to the 501st Chopper? We could use someone with some skills in the kitchen.' Rex smirked, ducking the lazy swipe Cody aimed at his head.  
'Sorry Rex, no way would I leave my Squad. You'll just have to find someone else.' Chopper shrugged, his loyalties first with the men he'd known since day 1.  
'Cooking isn't that hard Rex, I'm sure there will be plenty of 501st boys that will pick it up once the rotations start.' 99 shrugged, truly amazed by what Chopper had made. 'We're going to have to swap notes Chopper, I'm nowhere close to making such treats.'  
'I'll give you my modified recipe, you shouldn't have much trouble getting what you need.' Chopper grinned, soaking up the praise from all sides.  
'I'd hear the whispers around the Negotiator that you were whipping up treats for your brothers, I had no idea this was the sort of thing you're producing Chopper.' Obi-Wan added, wondering if he could convince Chopper to up his production.  
'I don't usually make things like this, usually it's brownies and biscuits and the occasional hot meal for a few close brothers.' Chopper replied, considering adding Obi-Wan to his list of recipients. 'All my recipes require adjusting to take into account the different ingredients available but so far, I haven't had any big issues with that.'  
'I've noticed that issue as well Chopper. I'm sure the offered cooking classes will still be a success though.' Emily agreed, thinking about all the recipe books she'd brought along on the journey.

Ramekins scraped clean, everyone took their dishes up to the waiting trolley, stacking everything carefully before leaving the dining room to enjoy a quiet evening and wind down before an early bedtime. Some of the clones headed upstairs to grab their instruments, scattering through the main living areas to play their hearts. Others pulled out art or craft projects, finding comfortable and inspiring places to sit and work. A few disappeared into the library to curl up with a good book, forgetting about reality for a few hours. The Jedi scattered as well, finding quiet places to meditate or read as the will took them.

Handing Angel to nanny droid Kate and telling her to take the young boy up to bed and stay with him, Emily settled on the couch in the front living room and watched Cody and Rex playing something totally new, hands and voices in soft harmony. Their words were unfamiliar, certainly Mando'a but not words she was familiar with. Occasionally a familiar word would come up, giving her the gist of the song - home and family.  
'Buir, could I talk to you alone for a minute?' Tup asked, stopping behind the couch.  
'Of course Tup. We can talk in my office, it'll be quiet and private up there.' Emily nodded, rolling to her feet and taking him by the hand.

#~#~^~#~#

Settled by the fire in Emily's office, part of her private section on the sixth floor, Emily settled in her old armchair and welcomed Tup into her lap, enjoying the quiet connection with the youngest of her first 28.  
'I need some advice, buir.' Tup shrugged, cuddling closer to her and gazing at the crackling fire.  
'Tell me all about what's bothering you and I'll do what I can to help.' Emily nodded, rubbing at the back of his neck lightly.  
'Well, there's this special someone that leaves this funny feeling in my stomach whenever I see them. It's this light, fluttery kind of feeling, like my stomach is trying to fly away. It doesn't matter where we are, every time I see them, it's the same thing.' Tup explained, not sure how else to describe what he felt.  
'It sounds like you're in love, Tup. I'm happy for you, my dear son. So, are you going to tell me who the lucky person is? Just so I can be sure they're worthy of your love.' Emily grinned, hugging him closer.  
'It's…promise you won't be mad.' Tup uttered, nervous about admitting he wasn't as perfect as Emily thought he was.  
'Tup, there's nothing you can say or do that will make me love you any less than I do right now. Whatever you tell me, I'll be proud of you and support you as you try to decide what to do regarding your love interest.' Emily promised, guiding him back a little so she could look into his eyes. 'I don't care who your heart calls for, I just want you to be happy.'

Thinking it over for a moment, Tup nodded and slipped off Emily's lap, settling instead on the floor beside her so he could rest his head on her knee. Smiling softly in understanding, Emily gently removed his hair band and offered it out to him before starting to run her fingers through his soft hair, knowing how it calmed him.  
'Take your time, Tup. I'm not pushing you to tell me anything.' she whispered, her fingers a guide in just how calm Tup was getting.  
'I know buir. I'm still trying to accept what I'm feeling, I just need a minute.' Tup nodded, pressing closer to her legs.  
'I don't mind if you want to sit here all night and let it sink in before you tell me, its okay Tup.' Emily offered, smoothing out the kink in his hair. 'All I want is for you to really be happy.'  
'It's…I…Dogma. I love Dogma.' Tup confessed, looking up at Emily without dislodging the hand in his hair.  
'Dogma…well that makes sense. I've seen the way he watches out for you, it's more than just brotherhood.' Emily chuckled, not at all surprised by Tup's admission.  
'Do you think it's possible he…no, I'm just being stupid.' Tup sighed, sagging into Emily even more. 'He's got better options.'  
'Tup, how dare you think to little of yourself. You area truly wonderful man, you would be a prize for anyone to love.' Emily growled, flicking his right ear sharply. 'Now, let's try this again.'

Looking up when Emily stood and drew him to his feet, Tup didn't know what to think as she guided him to the well loved couch that also faced the fire. Sitting him down, Emily turned to one of the LEP droids that were all throughout the house, each tasked with their own sections of the house to monitor if she needed assistance.  
'Buck, I want you to go and find Dogma. Tell him I wish to see him in my office ASAP.' she instructed, crouching and lightly touching the sweet little rescued droid.  
'Yes Mistress Emily.' Buck squeaked, waddling towards the door as quickly as his little legs could carry him.  
'Just relax Tup, one way or another we'll find out where this will go. I'll talk to Dogma first and if I read the situation right, I'll leave you two to talk in private.' Emily soothed, returning to her armchair and getting comfortable.

Buck waddled back into the room a few minutes later, a rather confused Dogma following him into Emily's private sanctum. Getting to her feet, Emily rewarded the small droid with a gentle caress down his back before turning her full attention to Dogma, guiding him to a second sitting area where he wouldn't be able to spot Tup.  
'Did I do something wrong buir?' Dogma asked, worried about what he might have done.  
'No, nothing like that Dogma. I just wanted to talk with you about something.' Emily soothed, crouching in front of him and gently taking his hands. 'I heard something today, one of my LEPs heard it in passing and thought I should know. Now, I'm asking you what you intend to do.'  
'What did you hear buir?' Dogma gulped, really not sure where this was going.  
'I heard that there's a certain someone that loves you as more than a brother. The kind of love that leads to a wonderful romance and many happy memories. They want to be with you, know you intimately and love you forever.' Emily smiled, squeezing his hands softly as he thought about what she'd said.  
'Someone loves me? Like the way we see civilians love each other, with the hugging and all that? A brother wants that sort of thing with me, of all people?' Dogma gaped, stunned by the idea of such a thing.  
'Yes Dogma, a brother wants that kind of a treasured relationship with you and only you. I've already talked to the other party involved and what they feel is real, it's true love if only you're willing to reach out and try.' Emily nodded, hoping everything would work out alright for her sons as they tried something so new.  
'Are you going to tell me who it is?' Dogma uttered, trying to figure out who might be the one.  
'I'll give you a few clues, see if you can figure it out.' Emily winked, confident Dogma would get there on his own. 'He's 501st, a trooper without special rank or duty, prefers his carbine, has a small facial tattoo and tends to stay out of disputes.'

Turning the puzzle over in his mind, Dogma barely noticed Emily stand and leave him to his thoughts. The clues were vague but at least they knocked out a lot of possibilities. It wasn't one of the medics, couldn't be one of the Z-6 users, and no way was it one of the AT-TE operators or anyone else that used the really heavy equipment so that took away any pilots as well.  
'Buir, do I get another hint? There are still too many possibilities.' he asked, staring at the far wall as he sorted through the hundreds of options.  
'He's here at the homestead, right now.' Emily replied, busy doing something else behind him.  
'That narrows it right down.' Dogma grinned, thinking about the 501st boys that were in the house right now.

Looking up when Emily returned and gently took his hands, Dogma had no idea what she was up to as she guided him up and covered his eyes, one arm firm around his shoulders as she guided him across the room. Then she was gone, leaving him standing near the fire with his hands over his eyes. Someone else was there though, soft footsteps approaching slowly. Suddenly firm, battle callused hands were on his wrists, guiding his hands away slowly.  
'Tup? You heard all that.' Dogma uttered, eyes widening in shock.  
'It's okay Dogma. Buir didn't hear it from a LEP droid. I asked her about a feeling I didn't know, she told me it was love.' Tup explained, hands slipping until their fingers entwined.  
'Why didn't you tell me sooner?' Dogma asked, tugging Tup closer and slipping his arms around his younger brother, content to just hold him loosely.  
'I was afraid. No one else talks of such things, I didn't want to be sent back for…you know.' Tup confessed, dropping his gaze sadly.  
'It's okay Tup, that's not gonna happen. I know it happens throughout the ranks, I've heard and seen it a few times. You won't be sent back, just so long as we keep things out of the public eye.' Dogma soothed, remembering the day he'd accidentally walked in on Fives and Echo in the middle of coitus.  
'So I'm not faulty for feeling like this?' Tup asked, daring to return the tender embrace.  
'No, you're normal to feel this way. We're not the only brothers to desire a brother as a bedmate, it's everywhere in the ranks.' Dogma grinned, coaxing Tup closer and relishing the feeling of his younger brother pressing close. 'Just relax, it's okay Tup.'  
'I don't know what to do now, Dogma. I feel good but this can't be it, is it?' Tup uttered, enjoying the closeness and the anticipation of something more.  
'There's so much more, Tup. One step at a time, I'll show you. I learned from Hardcase one night when I was just a shiny and he was in need of company. It was just one night but he taught me so much. Now it's your turn to learn what pleasure really means.' Dogma promised, drawing back just a little bit. 'Trust me, cyar'ika?'  
'Always.' Tup nodded, surprised by the flash of jealousy at the mention of Hardcase touching Dogma like this.

Bringing his left hand up, Dogma traced his knuckles over Tup's cheek softly, scraping over stubble, smile growing when Tup leant into the touch just a little bit more. Turning his hand over, Dogma traced up over Tup's ear and delved into his long hair, amazed by how soft it felt, much softer than his own shorter hair. Eyes sliding closed as he enjoyed the closeness that came with this, Tup traced one hand up Dogma's side, over his shoulder and around the back of his neck. Coaxing Tup closer again, Dogma tipped his head to the side, trapping Tup's arm under his jaw. Their first kiss was the barest touch, testing the waters and working out how they would fit together.

Adjusting the angle, Dogma tried it again, heart leaping when Tup returned the gentle pressure, pulling him closer and keeping him there. Right hand falling to curl around Tup's belt, Dogma held him tight, losing his mind to the firm pressure of his lover right there in his arms. They vaguely heard the door open but they were too caught up in their new relationship to bother looking at what was going on behind them.  
'Merry Christmas boys. I wish you every happiness in the galaxy.' Emily uttered, pausing in the doorway for a moment before leaving them in peace to enjoy their blossoming love for a few hours before bed.

#~#~^~#~#

Four days together wasn't really long enough but they took comfort in knowing that their turns would come again, month by month as the rotations went around. No one knew for sure when they would next have a chance to share in Emily's love but the simple idea of only being a comm call away from her lightened their hearts.

Wading through the snow to the waiting transports, still laughing and trying to hold onto the good times, everyone was on a high despite the impending separation. A few more snowballs were thrown, men and dogs bounding around in the snow together, taking turns to load their gear into the waiting transports before bouncing back into the games.

Smiling at the sight of her sons having such fun when she expected them to be feeling down, Emily motioned for the Jedi to show patience and let the clones have one last romp in the snow in full armour before getting back to the serious business of war.  
'Ahsoka, Barriss, a minute of your time.' she called, waving for the two young girls to follow her a short distance from the main gathering.  
'Is something wrong Emily?' Ahsoka asked, glad to see Rex was finally back to running around with his brothers, still sore but looking much better.  
'No, it's nothing like that Ahsoka. You two have become very important to my sons, not just because you are Jedi Commanders but also as sisters. The dynamic will change between you, depending on what they need from you.' Emily explained, crouching and resting her hands on their shoulders lightly.  
'What can we do to help Emily? We aren't you.' Barriss asked, glancing over towards the clones just in time to see Gree vanish under a dog pile from the 212th.  
'No, but you can still be there when they need someone to care for and love them. At times they will see you as their little sisters and offer to teach you what they have learnt, just to share it with someone who will hopefully appreciate what they know. Listen to them, learn what you can and even if it's of no interest, don't show you're bored with the idea.' Emily guided, listening for any trouble from her sons as they played.  
'I've already been doing that. Rex had one of the maintenance crews make a smaller version of his bicycle for me, I'm not really into riding but I still go every time he asks.' Ahsoka nodded, remembering their last ride together.  
'That's a good start Ahsoka, but don't limit to what Rex asks of you. Spread your attentions to as many of the boys as you can, even if you can only spare 20 minutes to listen to them play or read a poem they've written.' Emily praised, fairly sure her boys would be okay until the next time she saw them.  
'There's more to this though, isn't there Emily?' Barriss noted, making a mental note to spend more time with the men, encouraging them in whatever new activities they were picking up.  
'Just as there will be times when they want to be older brothers to you both, there will be days when they'll need you to be the elder sibling. Times when they are afraid, hurt or sick. Days when nothing is going right and they just want to disappear into the loving embrace of an older sibling and forget about how much it hurts. It's happened to me before, it will happen to you as the sibling relationships you have started continue to develop.' Emily nodded, whipping around at the yelp from one of the boys. She quickly relaxed, it was just Cody, pinned to the ground as Chopper shoved a big handful of snow down his back.

Chuckling softly as innocent games turned on the officers for the last time, Emily turned her attention back to the Padawans, hoping to give them as much inspiration and guidance as she could before they were separated again.  
'It's hard to imagine any of the clones needing an older sibling.' Ahsoka mused, spotting Rex on the sidelines, still not medically fit to really have fun with his brothers.  
'Remember Ahsoka, the men in Rex's batch are the eldest clones on the battlefields. They don't have anyone to turn to when they need help and support. They have to be the older brother to all the men in their units, veterans and shinys alike. But no one can be strong all the time, everyone has their limits. They will seek you out when they hit that limit, turning to the other people they know will understand.' Emily replied, totally serious again. 'Don't push them away when they come to you in search of an older sister, you could destroy the sibling relationship developing among you all.'  
'Take care we'll take care of them Emily. At least, as much as we can. There are a lot of clones just in the 41st and the 501st, let alone the rest of the GAR.' Ahsoka nodded, stepping up to the challenge.  
'There will be opportunities while different units are working together but it will be a challenge to reach out to all of them.' Barriss agreed, wondering just how they would manage to keep up with so many clones.  
'I know, the figures are staggering but we just have to do the best we can. All we can do is the very best we're capable of. But remember, just as the boys will seek you out when they need a big sister, you can always seek someone out when you need a chance to be the younger sibling. Just try not to keep going to the same boys every time.' Emily guided, trying not to think about the massive challenge of mothering the GAR. 'Pass the word to your friends, I'm sure you can think of a few others that can start to bridge the gaps between Jedi and clones and give them other sibling options.'  
'We will Emily.' Ahsoka promised, already considering her options.

Satisfied that the two Padawans were ready to face the challenge before them, Emily stood and ushered them back towards the main gathering. She couldn't help but laugh at the sight of her sons, they'd been busy enjoying themselves before getting back to work. The senior clones were huddled together, taking shelter near the Jedi as their brothers tried to get in one last shot. Only Rex was left dry and warm, everyone careful of his injuries until he got the medical clearance. The rest of them were cold, wet and miserable.  
'Now that might have been taking it a bit far boys. A snowball fight is fine but your poor brothers don't have anything clean and dry to wear now.' Emily sighed, shaking her had slowly.  
'There are usually some emergency blankets on the shuttles, I'll see what I can find.' Ahsoka offered, heading towards the farthest ship.  
'I will start at the other end Ahsoka.' Barriss called after her, weaving through the group to see what she could find for the clones.

It didn't take the girls long to gather up the blankets and get the chilled six all wrapped up snugly. Taking absolutely no chances, they scattered to the transports, making it clear that they'd had enough of the monkey business. Chuckling at their antics, Emily made her way through the snow to embrace each of her trembling sons, wishing them good luck with the upcoming battles and encouraging them to open up to those around them even more.

With her half frozen sons smiling and relaxed, she turned her attention to the rest of her boys, old and new mixing together and enjoying one last hug to get them through until the next time they got to sample her affection and support. Each one was offered guidance unique to their interests, the soft words of their mother a huge boost towards trying new aspects and opening their eyes to new ideas.

Her sons safely aboard the shuttles, she knelt again, welcoming Ahsoka and Barriss into her embrace, making it clear that the two young Padawans were considered part of her family. The girls understood, once more promising to do as she had asked of them. Sending the girls to their shuttles, Emily moved back, refusing to acknowledge the other Jedi as part of her family. They seemed to understand the difference, offering polite farewells before boarding their shuttles and sealing the hatches.

Pulling her long furred cloak tighter around her body, Emily moved back and watched the shuttles lifting off in sequence, bearing her sons away in every direction. Hanging her head, she turned and trudged back to the house, suddenly feeling cold and alone again. She still had Angel to love at all times but the constant arrivals and departures were going to be hard to face.


	16. Growing Responsibilites

Six months into the rotations and Emily was going strong, finding new life with each group that turned up on her doorstep on the 1st of every month. The pain of each group leaving was easier to bear as well because she was never without sons to keep her occupied. Angel and her serving sons weren't her only concerns now.

Three months previous, she'd won her fight in the Senate, forcing the Kaminoans to hand over the forgotten into her care. The Alderaanan government was a big help there, providing supplies and a workforce to build a smaller, four storey building to the east of her palatial home. Several supporters of her cause provided carer droids, cleaner droids, catering droids and medical droids to help her care for the 83 forgotten brothers and their various problems.

A month later, the Kaminoans had decided to turn it up a notch, a ship load of seriously wounded clones turning up on Emily's doorstep without warning. Staring in disbelief and horror as 200 men were unloaded on her front lawns and just left there, Emily called for the 327th Star Corps men that were staying with her and had the wounded taken inside and set up in the west wing temporarily. The 327th men were remarkably accepting of their wounded brothers, moving out of the west wing to give them all the space they could ask for. It meant the east wing was severely cramped but no one complained.

Accepting the challenge, Emily once more turned to Senator Organa and asked for his help. He convinced the group that supported her to help fund a third building in her compound, a smaller version of the main house going up to the west of the main building. The convalescence home was designed to be a sheltered place for the wounded if they wanted outside time without being noticed. They could soak up the sun in the central courtyard and no one would know they were there. This house was also fully stocked with all the droids necessary to tend to the wounded and space had been set aside in case the place needed to be expanded again. Hopefully that wouldn't come for a while though, the original convalescence house was built with 600 clones in mind.

Emily knew that these men would never leave but in time, she planned to move some into the 400 bed care house on the other side. There were plans to build more independent housing further away from the house where 10 could live together with a cleaning droid and a cooking droid per house and a communal medical droid that would tend to a group of such homes. But since those wouldn't be needed for a while yet, they weren't a big priority.

Despite it all, Emily found time each day to visit with the men in both smaller buildings, coaxing those who wished to learn to try something that caught their attention. Whatever they wanted to try, she figured out a way for them to manage it and grow their new abilities. She also found the time for her serving sons, dedicating several hours each day to working with them in small groups or individually. She even managed to squeeze in a four hour paintball game in the forest well to the south every fortnight.

She never forgot her promise to Angel either. Every chance she got, she'd have her baby son safe in her arms. She was still looking for the right medical team to help Angel gain the use of his limbs, she wouldn't give up on him until every last avenue had been explored, every possibility exhausted. The nanny droids assigned to him would work with him daily as well, gently stretching out the muscles in his limbs and trying to get some motion in them but the results weren't very encouraging.

At night, once all her sons were fast asleep, Emily would sit up for a few more hours, chasing down her next big goal. As much as she appreciated the help from her senatorial support team, she wanted to be able to do more. There were certain projects that she couldn't ask them for help with so she needed a way to fund her dreams. She set up a charity fund, passing out the details to her senatorial connections and asking them to help her spread word throughout the Republic. 

Now the civilians her sons had helped could return the kindness, donating whatever they could to help the war effort. Credits were fine but clothes, food, speeders and furniture were also greatly appreciated. Occasionally a donation would arrive in honour of a specific son and when this happened, Emily would contact the named clone with the details of the donor and ask that they write a personal thank you. Those were always greatly received and would often garner more donations.

As another bonding idea between civilians and clones, she sent out requests to several schools and academies in the Republic, asking if the students would mind writing to clones serving in their areas of the galaxy. The idea was taken up by just about all of the schools and academies she approached, her sons relishing the contact with young minds that were curious to know what their lives were like. Emily had sternly warned her sons not to write about any of the grizzly things they saw, instead they should talk about their hobbies, friends and what life was like in the quiet moments between battles. The clones took the idea and ran with it, sending all kinds of things to their pen-pals across the galaxy.

One academy in particular went far beyond anything Emily expected. A school for the upper class of Coruscant, already a surprise for the fact they agreed to join the program, chose not to write to the Coruscant Guard. Instead, their letters came to Alderaan, addressed to a wounded soldier. When they arrived, they were shared among those in the care home and the convalescence home, bringing smiles to men without hope.

#~#~^~#~#

Thinking about the devastation they'd faced on their last mission, Barriss responded to the soft chime of her door, looking up at the sad face of her favourite brother. Remembering what Emily had said, Barriss reached out and took his hand, drawing him inside and over to her bed. Collapsing like a puppet with the strings cut, Gree slumped on the edge of her bed, staring at the floor between his sandaled feet.

Climbing up onto her bed, Barriss knelt behind him and gently drew him back against her chest, holding him close as an older sister should when her younger brother was this close to falling apart. Shuffling back on the bed a little more, Gree sagged against her, hands coming up to lightly curl over her wrists.  
'I'm here vod'ika, I've got you.' she whispered, trying to recall the basic Mando'a that she'd picked up from the men.  
'Where did I go so wrong?' Gree choked, struggling to deal with the massive casualties of their last mission. A full battalion had gone dirtside, only five made it back to the cruiser.  
'It wasn't your fault Gree, you couldn't have known.' Barriss soothed, rocking slowly as she tried to think of what else to say.  
'It was too easy. I should have realised it was an ambush.' Gree retorted, angry, hurt and confused in one big emotional time bomb.  
'Gree, even I did not sense there was a problem until it was too late. You are not at fault.' Barriss tried, not quite sure how to get through to Gree.

Thinking back to everything Emily had told them, Barriss hit on an idea. Slowly releasing Gree, she shuffled right back into the corner of her bed, resting up against the cool bulkhead. Reaching out to Gree, she caught his hand and pulled gently, waiting for him to get the message. Offering her a small grin, Gree paused long enough to work his sandals off before turning and stretching out on her bed, pillowing his head in her lap.  
'You've had a rough day Gree. Try and get some rest, I'll stay right here.' Barriss coaxed, fingers trailing through his hair and over his scalp tenderly. 'Shh, it's okay now Gree.'  
'You won't leave?' Gree asked, his youth and inexperience with life coming through strongly.  
'No, I'll be right here when you wake up. Here, you hold my hand so you know I can't leave.' Barriss promised, offering out her left so she could keep her right in his hair.

Shifting into a more comfortable position, Gree reached out to take her offered hand in his, curling their fingers together so carefully. Resting their clasped hands lightly on Barriss' knee, Gree snuggled closer and hummed softly, relaxing towards sleep. Not wanting to disturb his slide towards hopefully peaceful sleep, Barriss stilled her right hand, enjoying the softness under her palm as she just held him lightly and let him rest.  
'No, don't stop.' Gree muttered, nudging at her right hand with his head.  
'Okay, I won't stop that. Shh, rest now Gree.' Barriss whispered, going back to idly toying with his faux-red hair tenderly.  
'Feels nice.' Gree uttered, shifting again before finally giving in to his need for rest.

Watching over him, Barriss was struck by how young he looked when all his worry lines smoothed out, the heavy burden of leadership set aside for a few precious hours as he slept safe under her watch. Now she understood what Emily was talking about, there was something truly special about being there when one of the clones needed a safe place to curl up and hide for a while. It was a truly incredible feeling to know Gree trusted her enough to completely let his guard down and sleep properly under her watch.

Looking up when her door chimed again, Barriss gulped and checked Gree was still fast asleep before reaching out with the Force to open her door. It wasn't another clone looking for comfort, no that would have been too easy. Instead, her Master entered the room and watched in disbelief as Barriss went back to her watch.  
'Please don't be angry Master, I welcomed him in to shelter from the demons that haunt him now. That last battle pushed him too far, he needed someone to protect him until it stops hurting. I am honoured Gree trusted in me enough to sleep so peacefully under my watch.' Barriss explained, left thumb drifting over what parts of his hand she could reach.  
'He certainly seems much more peaceful now, his Force signature is not so angular anymore.' Luminara nodded, keeping her distance so as not to disturb Gree. No one knew how they knew but clones tended to wake when Jedi Generals were around.  
'I had noticed that as well, Master. I am just grateful he is finally resting, our last mission hit him very hard.' Barriss agreed, using the Force to call a second blanket from the cupboard, just in case it was needed.  
'Considering the circumstances, I will excuse you from training today so you can care for Gree. He is a good man, worthy of your attentions as an older sister.' Luminara instructed, briefly wondering how long it would be before Gree was ready to face the daily challenges again.  
'Thank you Master.' Barriss replied, snapping her full attention back to Gree when he whimpered softly. 'Shhh, its okay Gree.'  
'Mmm, ori'vod.' Gree mumbled, pressed closer to Barriss and settling again.  
'Rest vod'ika, I'll keep you safe.' Barriss promised, finding a rhythm between both hands to guide him deeper into his rest.

#~#~^~#~#

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Emily straightened and watched as her latest group, a new group from the 104th, busily tended to the extensive vegetable gardens now growing to the south of the main house. The gardens were full of crops from earth, hundreds of varieties finally out in the ground and doing remarkably well in such an alien environment. The clones were taking to the new foods quite happily, always excited when something new from the gardens was offered up in the dining hall for them to try.

Turning when something strange appeared in the corner of her eye, Emily sighed as she looked up at the approaching shuttle, wondering what was going on now. The last time this had happened, Stone and Thire had been left behind to heal after an explosion near their barracks. Trusting in the gardening group to stay on task, she headed towards the landing pad at a steady jog, still turning options over in her mind.

Weaving among her sons as they enjoyed the peace, she left the fenced area of the massive compound just as the shuttle touched down, forward ramp dropping down to the permacrete with a dull thud. Skidding to a stop, Emily waited patiently for whatever this Nu-Class Attack Shuttle was dropping in her lap.

What she got was certainly a surprise. Seeing Cody was always nice, the 212th wasn't listed for a rotation to Alderaan for another 5 months. But to see another clone, battered and beaten, stripped of his armour, hands bound behind his back and a hobbling chain between his ankles, it turned Emily's stomach. She didn't feel any better when Chopper emerged, a gearbag over his shoulder and a footlocker in his hands. Bringing up the rear, Obi-Wan looked seriously ticked off, a strange look on his usually calm face.

Reaching for calm, Emily waited for an explanation, one eyebrow shooting up as Cody none too gently shoved the other clone to his knees, hand firm on his shoulder. The chained clone just hung his head, faint tremors barely noticeable under his bodysuit. Whatever this was about, he was absolutely terrified of something. Emily could only hope he wasn't frightened of her.  
'Okay Obi-Wan, you've got me stumped on this one. What's going on this time?' she sighed, glancing back over her shoulder to make sure everyone was behaving. 'I've got a full house at the moment, things are flat out.'  
'Perhaps it would be best to let Cody and Chopper explain this one, Emily.' Obi-Wan replied, motioning for the pair to tell Emily the story.  
'This is Slick, he was the Sergeant in charge of our Squad. But as of right now, he's public enemy number one. Honestly buir, I'd rather see him dead but the Kaminoans don't want him back for a third time so we brought him here.' Chopper shrugged, setting the footlocker and gearbag down beside Slick.  
'He's already been reconditioned twice for traitorous behaviour, first while he was part of the 91st and again after betraying the 212th. He was sent back to us after his second reconditioning and was assigned to supply but once again, he betrayed his brothers. Twelve dead, 36 wounded and three MIA, all because of him.' Cody added, glaring down at Slick.  
'Sketch and Jester are both still in bacta tanks, Gus was in surgery when we left and Punch was waiting for the med droids to check him over properly.' Chopper offered, knowing Emily would want to know about his Squad.  
'I'm still surprised you'd actually wish harm on a brother, Chopper. That's not like you at all.' Emily replied, shaking her head slowly.  
'Chopper isn't the only one, buir. I nearly shot this SOB several times but the General wouldn't let me do that. As you can see, the men of the 212th have already had a go at him, the General had to wade into an all out brawl to save his life.' Cody shrugged, shoving Slick to the ground fully when he tried to shift into a more comfortable position.

Slick took the rough treatment silently, rolling onto his stomach and pressing his face to the ground as Cody shifted to plant one booted foot on his back to keep him down.  
'The Kaminoans did deign to do something about him, to make absolutely sure that this troublemaker can't go betraying any more brothers. There was no point in reconditioning him for a third time, he's already beaten it twice so they regressed him instead. Ain't no way he'll ever be welcomed back into the ranks now, he's useless as a soldier.' Cody spat, pressing down viciously.  
'Cody! That's enough!' Emily snapped, noticing Slick was trying to hide his pain and fully aware Cody was putting undue pressure on his spine. 'Take your foot off him now!'

Surprised by Emily's harsh tone, Cody stepped right back, dropping his gaze and shifting nervously. Emily left him to think about his actions and knelt beside Slick, gently rolling him over and helping him to sit up. His trembling grew more pronounced, rattling the chain between his ankles. Ever so slowly he lifted his gaze, looking up at Emily with such pain and fear that her breath stuck in her throat.  
'It's okay now Slick, no one will ever hurt you like that again. You don't have to be afraid anymore, I'll protect you always.' Emily soothed, unable to hate any of her sons, regardless of their misdeeds.  
'I'll be good, I won't do anything bad ever again.' Slick uttered, sounding for all the world like the wrong word could destroy what was left of him. 'Please don't send me back, I'll be good.'  
'Shh, it's okay Slick. You'll be safe here, I'll keep you close always. I'll protect you forever, no matter what.' Emily promised, horrified by how young and frightened he sounded. 'Explain this regression Cody.'  
'I can't buir, I don't know what the Kaminiise did to him. All I know is his mind was taken back to what they deemed an appropriate level to start over while his body continues to age at double time.' Cody replied, still staring at the ground. 'We worked out that he's got the mental abilities of an average six-year-old.'

Truly disgusted by what had been done to Slick, Emily turned her steely gaze to Obi-Wan, subtly indicating the chain around his ankles. Nodding slowly, Obi-Wan used the Force to release the anklets and call the chain to his hand before releasing the binders and flicking them to Cody. Catching them without looking up, Cody clipped them to his belt where they would be safe until he could get back to the ship and secure them.

As soon as his hands were free, Slick reached out to Emily, timid and unsure of what he was allowed now. Smiling in encouragement, Emily shifted closer and drew Slick into her arms, rubbing his back softly. Sagging into her hold willingly, Slick dared to latch his fingers into her shirt, holding on tight as he wept quietly on her shoulder.  
'That it Slick, I've got you now. I'll keep you safe, here with me where you'll never have to be afraid of anything again. You're home now, this is where you belong.' Emily whispered, glaring at Cody and Chopper when they dared move. 'As for you two, consider the next 212th rotation cancelled. It's bad enough Slick was mentally harmed, the physical abuse was too much.'  
'I will inform the men, buir.' Cody nodded, knowing there would be trouble in the ranks but he didn't dare argue with Emily.  
'Now take your shuttle and get out of my sight. I've got more important matters to attend to.' Emily growled, keeping Slick close so he hopefully understood she wasn't talking to him.  
'Of course buir.' Cody nodded, turning and boarding the shuttle without looking back. Chopper paused for a moment, wondering if he should try and say something to Emily but a not so subtle Force nudge from Obi-Wan had his heading up the ramp without a word.  
'Until next time Emily.' Obi-Wan offered, boarding the shuttle and trying not to think about how furious she'd been about this situation.

Holding Slick close until the shuttle was gone, Emily eventually relaxed her grip and gently stroked his cheek, wiping away his tears tenderly. He flinched from her first touch but once he realised she wasn't going to hurt him, he relaxed into her contact again.  
'You'll be safe now Slick. Come on, let's get you settled in comfortably.' Emily coaxed, getting up and offering out her hand.  
'Okay…buir.' Slick nodded, letting Emily help him to his feet but he was still so timid and unsure of everything.  
'That's it Slick, you can call me buir.' Emily guided, picking up his gearbag and holding it out to him. 'Here, you carry this for me, okay.'  
'Okay buir.' he was faster with her title this time, adjusting to the idea of having a mother who loved him and would keep him safe.  
'Good boy. Come on, it's not far to go.' Emily praised, hoisting his footlocker and heading back towards the house, Slick trotting along at her side like a good little boy.

#~#~^~#~#

Weaving through the men as quickly as she could, Ahsoka ran hard to reach the infirmary, feeling one of her brothers calling out to her through the Force. He wasn't trying to use the Force, but his pain radiated out, a beacon to Ahsoka that she had to respond to as quickly as she could. Reaching into the Force, Ahsoka made her presence known to the men blocking her path and they moved, allowing her to sprint the last few hundred meters.

Their last fight had been costly but somehow, through Force intervention or sheer dumb luck, the 61 casualties were all shinys, none of the veterans had been killed though many of them were seriously injured. Hardcase had been one of the first, shot twice in the back as they left the landing zone. Kix had stopped to tend to him, pulling off the near impossible by saving Hardcase when any other medic would have left him. But that determination to protect Hardcase almost cost Kix his life when the LAAT/i they were near exploded, showering the pair with debris and bodies. 

By the time the debris had been moved, Kix was borderline and Hardcase was still barely hanging in there. Jesse refused to leave them, risking a court marshal but he wouldn't abandon his seriously injured brothers. Rex jumped in to help then, claiming that neither was stable enough to be left without constant vigilance and insisting that Jesse could handle them. Skywalker conceded the point, telling Jesse to keep a sharp watch over the pair before leading the rest of the Legion away.

Skidding around the last corner, she slid to a stop and took a moment to catch her breath before entering the infirmary, putting out an aura of calm control. It only took her a few minutes to find Jesse, hunched in a chair between two bacta tanks. Padding over to stand beside him, Ahsoka didn't need to look into the tanks to know she was in for a long day with Jesse.

Reaching out to him, Ahsoka lightly ran her hand over his head, letting him know she as there without pushing her presence. Looking up slowly, tears staining his face, Jesse managed the barest trace of a sad little smile before he cracked again, fresh tears falling. Stepping closer, Ahsoka stood between his knees and guided him close, offering freely of her support as he tried to face what had happened.

Drawing her closer, Jesse buried his face in her chest and sobbed openly, arms wrapped loosely around her waist. Resting her arms around his shoulders, Ahsoka lightly traced her fingers over his scalp, offering any physical comfort she could. Now she understood what Emily had really been asking of them, she had asked that the Padawans allow the clones to explore their emotions in a safe environment where there could be no repercussions.

#~#~^~#~#

Settling Slick in one of the VIP rooms just near her private sanctum, Emily helped him with his boots and smiled as he took her hand and followed her back downstairs. This would be the real test of how severely his mind had been damaged by the Kaminoans and the actions of the 212th. If he could handle being around so many brothers that weren't out to harm him, then things wouldn't be so hard for Emily to manage. If his reaction was negative, her job as a mother would be so much harder to complete.

Heading downstairs to join her family for lunch, Emily got the first indication that this wasn't going to be an easy adjustment for Slick. They passed a small group of troopers also heading down and Slick tried to pull away, frightened by the mere sight of other clones. Swallowing a groan, Emily turned with Slick and pulled him close, right arm around his waist and left guiding his head to her shoulder.  
'Slick, I need you to be brave. You're not the only one I have to care for but you are one of the truly special sons living here. It's okay to be afraid, you're still trying to find out where you fit. I promise you, no one here will let any harm befall you, they'll all keep an eye out to make sure you're safe.' Emily soothed, drawing away just a little bit. 'If anyone hurts you, come and tell me, okay Slick.'  
'Okay buir.' Slick nodded, still scared to face his brothers but if buir asked, he'd try.  
'Good boy. I'll bet you're hungry, hmm?' Emily grinned, starting to lead him towards the stairs again and hoping she could convince Slick that there was nothing to fear now that he was here.  
'I am a little, buir.' Slick replied, clinging to Emily's hand as they headed downstairs again.

Reaching the ground floor, Emily made double sure that Slick couldn't do a runner and make an already busy day even worse for her, Emily ushered him into the dining room and whistled for attention. Instantly, all conversations stopped and everyone turned to look her way, waiting for whatever announcement she was going to make. Squeaking in fear, Slick tried to hide behind her back but Emily held him against her side, not letting him hide from his brothers.  
'Everyone, this is Slick. He's going to be staying on full time now, he's been through a pretty rough time and is no longer suited to frontline life. I ask that you all make him welcome and invite him to join you in various activities throughout your stay. Just be aware of his brain damage and be gentle with him.' Emily briefed, rolling the dice and praying for luck.

Leaving one of the tables, a young shiny approached Emily and Slick. He'd been in the 104th for all of a month and had spent two weeks of that recovering from his first real combat mission. Now he sported some heavy facial scarring, ribbons of raised tissue curling across both cheeks, his forehead and carving canyons through his hair. Ever since the incident, he'd been known in the ranks as River, for the flowing scars he wore.  
'Hi there Slick. I'm planning on doing some painting after lunch, if you'd like to join me for a while.' River offered, keeping back so he didn't scare Slick by getting too close. Slick wasn't going to play that game though, he shook his head and pressed closer to Emily, struggling to handle the situation.  
'it was very kind of you to offer River but it's going to be a while before Slick's ready to open up to other people. His brothers turned on him, even after he was injured.' Emily sighed, keeping Slick curled in against her left side and reaching out to River with her right.  
'I understand buir.' River nodded, accepting the light hug and soft kiss on his forehead.  
'Good boy River.' Emily praised, releasing him to go back to his meal. 'Up this way Slick, let's get some lunch.'  
'Okay buir.' Slick replied, allowing Emily to lead him up to the servery.

#~#~^~#~#

By nightfall, Emily was about ready to tear her hair out. She hadn't been able to get anything done, every time someone got within a few meters of Slick, he'd panic and practically glue to her side or back, whatever was easier for him. Depending on the fright, it took between 10 minutes and an hour to get him to relax and just walk beside her without pressing in so close that Emily couldn't walk where she wanted to go without getting into a shoving match. Even Angel was a threat to Slick, he wouldn't go near the baby and while Emily was trying to tend to Angel, Slick would be close by, whimpering for attention.

Now she had the battle for bedtime. Slick was clinging again, refusing to let go of her for even a moment. At least she'd managed to get him bathed and into his pyjamas but now that it was actually time for Slick to sleep, he wasn't letting go of Emily's hand. Biting back a growl, Emily pried Slick's hand off hers and stood, moving away from the bed before he latched on again.  
'Slick, you're a big boy now. Babies cling for endless hours. Young boys like you are brave enough to face the world without constantly hanging onto their buir. I will always be here when you need me but so will your brothers. I cannot help everyone while you are clinging so tight. You are a smart, brave boy. You need to find your own interests, instead of constantly clinging.' Emily coaxed, hoping that she could convince Slick to ease off.  
'I'm sorry buir. I'll try to be better tomorrow.' Slick uttered, hanging his head.  
'Slick, you're not a bad boy. I just need you to try and accept your other siblings. You can learn just as much from them as I can teach you. They are eager to accept you but you have to be willing to try.' Emily corrected, crouching beside the bed.  
'What if they beat me like the others did?' Slick asked, lightly touching his nasty black eye.  
'If anyone hurts you, come and tell me right away. I'll deal with them.' Emily promised, seeing a spark of new life in Slick's eyes. 'Now, it's time for all good little boys to be sleeping and dreaming of what tomorrow will bring.'

Snuggling down and cuddling his new brown teddy bear, Slick smiled softly as Emily tucked him in safely and kissed his forehead.  
'I'll leave Buck here to keep you company. If you get scared during the night, you tell Buck and he'll pass a message to Shane, beside my bed. Buck might not be big but he's good at keeping people safe as they sleep.' Emily grinned, ruffling his hair gently. 'Sleep well dear Slick.'  
'Night buir.' Slick replied, yawning wide as he hugged his teddy closer.  
'I'll see you in the morning for breakfast, with all your brothers.' Emily promised, tucking him in again and getting up. 'So make sure you wake up with a big brave smile, tomorrow will be a big new adventure.'  
'I'll be ready buir.' Slick promised, eyes sliding closed as he settled in for his first night in a new and hopefully good life for him.  
'Buck, you keep a sharp watch on Slick. It's his first night here.' Emily warned, focus turning to the patiently waiting droid in the corner.  
'Of course, Mistress Emily.' Buck replied, pitching his voice down so he didn't wake Slick.

Starting to feel that maybe there was some hope for Slick, Emily smiled as she half-closed the door and headed for her sanctum to rest and catch up with some of the stuff she hadn't gotten done during the day. Letting her hair down as she closed the door, Emily walked over to her desk and connected to the holonet, bringing up her message bank. Thinking for a moment, she typed out a message to Cody, treading a fine line between her disapproval of the way the 212th treated Slick after his regression and her love for Cody and the 212th. She was disappointed in Cody and the others for allowing Slick to be harmed even after his mental capacity was reduced but she could understand why they had done so.

Hoping Cody understood what she was trying to say, Emily sent it to him and turned her focus to the latest donations pouring into the fund. She was particularly pleased to see that there was a big shipment of furniture coming in from Coruscant, six full sized shipping containers expected to arrive in a week. Scrolling through the list, Emily smiled at the selection being sent. Mielle, one of Senator Organa's assistants, had chosen the shipment well, suppling Emily with desperately needed outdoor furniture to expand the limited supply she had.

Checking the rest of her messages, she found a truly wonderful message right at the bottom of the list. A highly well renowned medical team from Coruscant had agreed to look into Angel's case to see what could be done. If they established that something could be done to improve Angel's quality of life and eventually give him his mobility, they would do the surgery/s at no expense for her family. They also accepted that due to responsibilities, she couldn't bring Angel to them so they were willing to come to Alderaan to examine him and would set up whatever they needed in the nearest city to make things as easy as possible for Emily.

Stunned by their gracious help, Emily thanked them for their kindness and accepted their help gratefully, sending them the latest updates on Angel's condition and questioning when the medical team might arrive to begin their examinations. She also warned them about the other injured clones around her home, insisting that she wasn't asking for help with all of them, merely letting the medical team know what to expect when they arrived.

Messages completed for another day, Emily changed into her sleepwear and sent out a ping for Shane to report to her quarters. Turning the lights off and crawling into bed at last, she grinned when Shane entered her quarters through a smaller entrance and toddled up to her bed.  
'You called for me Mistress Emily?' he asked, stopping beside her bed.  
'Buck is with our newest permanent arrival in the main house. If Buck pings you during the night, wake me immediately.' Emily instructed, snuggling down comfortably.  
'Of course, Mistress Emily.' Shane nodded, moving to the recharge point on the other side of the bed and shutting down for the night.  
'Be safe my sons, wherever you are.' Emily whispered, rolling over and drifting off to sleep.


	17. Danger Close

Leaving the care home after another busy morning seeing her sons were safe and happy, Emily was immediately caught up in the life and light of her Coruscant Guard boys running free. They were absolutely everywhere, laughing and having the most fun they possibly could. But as beautiful as it was to see the Coruscant Guard group tearing around, the most beautiful sight was under one of the big shade trees scattered around the house. There was Fox, a bright new picture book on his lap as he read to Slick.

It had taken four long and trying months but finally Slick had really opened up to his brothers, soaking up their attention like a sponge, content to sit and listen to them read or play music, watch them paint and craft or just walk with them through the woods. The biggest test would come when the 212th finally got a rotation to Alderaan, only then would they know for sure if Slick was adjusting to life.

Heading up the stairs of the main house, Emily smiled as the medical team came downstairs, the chief surgeon gently cradling Angel to his chest. Her precious son seemed happy there, nuzzling into the strong chest of the short redheaded man. Dr Tumish Arenci was considered one of the best surgeons in the galaxy, with patients from all corners of the galaxy. To have him treating Angel was a great honour for the family.  
'Well, what do you think?' Emily asked, accepting Angel and holding him close.  
'His youth makes the surgery very difficult, the work will be delicate but I have little reason to doubt that we can help Angel. Likely he will require a series of operations, up to 34, each time gaining a little more movement in his limbs.' Arenci nodded, reaching out to lightly touch Angel's hair.  
'I really can't thank you enough for this Dr Arenci. Angel is a precious boy, even among so many clones. Most other medical teams I contacted wanted nothing to do with Angel because he is just another clone to them. I am grateful you saw beyond that to the man he could be.' Emily replied, fully aware that it wouldn't be long before she couldn't carry Angel around like this.  
'I cannot promise that Angel will ever be normal, the damage to his body is severe but we will do our very best to give Angel as much mobility as we can. There is a strong possibility that Angel will require a hoverchair to fully enjoy his adult life.' Arenci continued, realistic with his expectations for Angel.  
'I'll take what I can get. Hoverchairs are not that uncommon here, there are several in both the care and convalescence homes here in my compound. One more will not be a great hardship.' Emily reassured him, just glad that someone was willing to take a chance on Angel.

Turning around at the sound of someone running up the stairs, Emily was about to correct them for running in the house but the look of fear in Ponds' eyes silenced her correction before she'd even finished opening her mouth.  
'Buir, there's a strange ship coming towards the compound. No one has ever seen anything like it before. It's like no starfighter we've ever seen or heard of before.' Ponds warned, skidding to a stop beside her.  
'Holocapture?' Emily asked, shifting her grip on Angel as Ponds reached into his pocket for his holodisplay unit.

Activating the display, Ponds held it up for Emily to examine, the strange looking ship sending a cold chill down Emily's spine. Even with the extra pieces mounted on the central form, she recognised exactly what it was and what it meant for her peaceful life. With its oval shaped outer beams and new heavy weapons, this craft had clearly been upgraded for a new environment but there was no mistaking the origin of the fighter.  
'Sound the alarm Ponds! Get everyone inside!' Emily barked, instincts firing up. 'Those that can defend the compound are to grab their weapons and prepare for an assault.'  
'Elek buir.' Ponds nodded, turning and sprinting outside again.  
'I'm sorry Dr Arenci but it's just not safe for you to leave right now. This way, I'll show you to the secure bunker. You will be safe there until the danger passes.' Emily instructed, herding he medical team towards the south wing via the central courtyard.

#~#~^~#~#

Weapons raised in readiness, everyone that could still shoot properly was in position around the compound, waiting for the mystery fighter now easily visible. Some of the wounded men were set up in windows of the three buildings, rifles resting on the window ledges as they waited for the signal to fire. Those that were in the open made it perfectly clear that they weren't afraid of the mystery fighter, weapons pointed at it as it came ever closer.

Trusting in her sons to wait for her signal, Emily waited behind a tree near where she estimated the fighter would land, Gree's gifted pistols light in her hands. Peeking around the tree, she smirked as the craft landed, easing the touchdown with repulsors before switching to old fashioned, Earth technology - wheels. Raising her pistols, she tensed for the next step, holding her position as the canopy opened and two very familiar people climbed down.

Their faces were familiar at least but they'd upgraded their weaponry to suit their new environment, just as she'd done when she'd made the transition from Earth to Alderaan. Letting out her breath slowly, Emily spun out from behind the tree, drawing her aim on the pair as she approached the unwitting fools that had blundered into her trap.  
'Drop 'em you two. You're outgunned and totally surrounded.' she growled, eyes hard as the pair spun to face her. 'I said drop 'em Knight! You too Rufus!'

Swearing under his breath, Aloysius let his pistols fall to the permacrete with a clatter, his carbines landing a moment later. At his side, Rufus carefully set his rotary cannon down, rifle dropping beside it. Without needing further prompting, they raised their hands high, trying to avoid pissing Emily off too much.  
'You know the drill. Move.' Emily sighed, motioning with her left pistol. 'You picked a bad time to show up, one wrong step and 1,000 members of the Coruscant Guard will take you down.'  
'Can't we at least talk this out before you decide to blow us away?' Knight asked, gaze sweeping the men scattered around the area.  
'In time. For now, I plan to make sure you can't cause me any trouble.' Emily shrugged, motioning for several of her sons to move in to assist. 'Take these two to the lockup. Fox, set a guard on their fighter. No one goes within ten meters of that thing.'  
'On it, buir.' Fox nodded, firmly grabbing Knight's arm and propelling him forward. 'Thire, Walon, Gecko and Shock, you're on first watch. I'll work out the roster once the prisoners are secured. Ten meter perimeter.'  
'yes Fox.' they replied, leaving their places and running over to take up their places around the fighter, spreading out and marking out the ten meter perimeter.

Up to the fourth floor, a sharp left then a right and they were in the small brig installed inside the main house. It was only designed to hold four and so far hadn't been needed but Emily preferred to know she had it than be caught short. Fox knew just what to do, leaving his pistols in her care as he checked the pair for any hidden weaponry before they were shoved rather unceremoniously into the nearer of the two cells.  
'Stand down boys, its okay. Fox, don't forget to go let the medical team out of the south bunker, they'll want to get back to the city and work on Angel's treatment plan.' Emily grinned, turning to the clones waiting for her.  
'I'll handle things buir. Back to our games or maintain our watch?' Fox nodded, dismissing the rest of the group with a wave.  
'I'd prefer my sons back but maintain watch over that fighter.' Emily replied, satisfied with the choice. 'Pay close attention to Slick, he's probably frightened.'  
'I'll put Ponds on it, he's really bonded with Slick.' Fox promised, turning sharply and leaving the room.

Leaning against the wall opposite their cell, Emily folded her arms across her chest and cocked one eyebrow, a silent query about the situation Knight and Rufus were in now. It had been a while since their paths had crossed, not just because of her trip to this galaxy but even before that, it had been years.  
'Given your presence here Emily, I can only assume that the Republic dogs found the rift.' Aloysius remarked, settling on the left bunk.  
'I'd watch your tongue Knight. I'm indebted to the Republic, one word from me and you're dead.' Emily warned, releasing her belt knife and starting to clean under her fingernails. 'But judging by that, you're working with the Separatist scum.'  
'No choice in the matter. They took us prisoner, nabbed a few hostages and threatened to kill them if we didn't come up with the goods. Seemed like an easy enough job, go to the clone facility on Alderaan and kill the head of the house. Didn't expect you to be the one.' Aloysius shrugged, caught between a rock and a hard place and he knew it.  
'Hostages you say…never known you to care about anyone but Rufus. Your family is dead so just who have the Seppies got that you'll do their bidding without question?' Emily mused, putting her knife away and approaching the shield barrier.

Hopping off the bunk, Aloysius approached the shield as well, gazing into Emily's eyes as he debated telling her the full truth. Given the change in his bargaining position, he didn't really have a lot of choice but that didn't make it any easier.  
'They arrived while we were celebrating Schofield's 40th, grabbed everyone in the house. Shane, Mother and her husband, Buck, David Fairfax and a couple of French people Shane knew. Jean-Claude and Veronique…I think. Didn't get much of a chance to get to know them before we were grabbed and knocked out.' Knight explained, hoping Emily could still read him like she did on that one hunt so long ago when they'd crossed paths.  
'Once again the Scarecrow is in deep shit. No real surprise there. So what'd the Seppies want this time, apart from my death.' Emily sighed, shaking her head slowly. She'd believed that once crossing the rift, she'd never have to face the people she'd known but apparently she'd been very wrong about that.  
'All they said was kill the head of the house here and bring back proof that the deed was done. Our human contact didn't tell us anything more.' Aloysius replied, glancing back at Rufus. 'What was his name again? Count…'  
'Dooku?' Emily blanched; if he had the group, things just got even worse.  
'Yeah, that's him. Creepy guy that one.' Rufus nodded, coming up behind Aloysius.  
'You don't know the half of it Rufus. He's one mean fuck, that's for sure.' Emily agreed, turning the problem over in her mind. 'Jimmy, I need you!'

Blinking in shock at the little droid that toddled into the room, Aloysius really wasn't sure what to think as Emily crouched down to the level of the little thing, a soft smile on her face.  
'Jimmy, I need you to contact the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, I must speak with the Council immediately. Top priority.' Emily instructed, chewing her bottom lip nervously.  
'As you wish, Mistress Emily.' Jimmy nodded, turning for the door. 'I will be right back.'  
'Tell Will to bring in the portable holotable, I'll speak to them from here.' Emily added, rising back to her full height.  
'It will be done Mistress Emily.' Jimmy promised, leaving the brig as quickly as he had entered.  
'Mistress Emily?' Aloysius asked, fighting the urge to laugh.  
'What can I say? Being the maternal figure for all clones in the GAR comes with certain perks. It's a hard job but it's worth every minute of hardship when I see the clones so happy and free to enjoy their lives for a little while.' Emily shrugged, trying to reign in her impatience and focus on what she would say to the Jedi Council.

Within minutes, everything was in place, the portable holotable sitting right in front of the occupied cell so Knight and Rufus could put their two cents in as Emily tried to come up with some kind of a rescue plan. Turning the puzzle over in her mind, Emily waited for the connection to be established and tried to put on a confident look. She had to convince the council to support this operation or it'd never work.  
"A problem, have you?" Master Yoda asked, looking kindly at Emily as she ran one hand through her hair.  
'A big problem, Master Yoda. The Separatists are not only aware of the rift that brought me to this galaxy but were able to use it to bring several of my people through against their will. The only reason I know about this is the fact that Count Dooku sent two men to try and kill me, even they know of the new clone mother.' Emily briefed, motioning for Knight and Rufus to approach the shield and be noticed.  
"You captured the pair who invaded your compound?" Windu asked, hard gaze falling on the pair in their cell.  
'In all fairness, this isn't the first time we've been caught out by Emily. We used to be frequent competitors, until she quit hunting after a nasty crash that almost claimed her life. We certainly weren't expecting to find her again, in this galaxy of all places.' Aloysius replied, gaze sweeping the gathered Jedi.  
"This is hardly top priority news Emily. You knew that there would be danger once you were set up as the clone mother." Adi Gallia mused, missing the point completely.  
'I knew these two, Master Gallia, and I know the Seppies. As Bounty Hunters, payment is the key but Dooku isn't the kind to bargain on price. Instead, when the Seppies took these two hostage, they also grabbed seven other people. I know four of them, we were friends once but the other three are just as important. If proof is not presented to Dooku soon that I am dead, those seven lives will be forfeit.' Emily explained, putting it out there for the Jedi to consider.  
"You have an idea on how to deal with this situation, don't you Emily?" Kit asked, watching her closely for any hint of her plan.  
'I do, Master Fisto. The plan will be risky and won't work without GAR support. I intend to go in quietly and rescue my friends but we won't have a chance to escape without Republic cruisers in the area to provide cover fire as we make our escape.' Emily confirmed, looking forward to another chance to practise her military training.  
'Count Dooku told us to meet him in the Devaron system when the job was done. We can get Emily to him but there's little we'll be able to do with the actual rescue effort. Dooku doesn't trust us as far as he can kick us.' Aloysius shrugged, looking up at Rufus with a faint grin.  
"The 327th and 104th are near the Devaron system, it would not take us long to reach there from our current locations." Master Koon offered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.  
'Distance might not be such a bad thing. Considering the distance we will have to travel to reach the rendezvous, perhaps choosing fleets that have a similar distance to travel will eliminate the need to guess when each fleet should jump to arrive at the right time.' Rufus suggested, concerned about his fighter sitting out in the elements.  
"I believe my fleet would be the most appropriate. We are approximately the same distance from Devaron as Emily is on Alderaan." Obi-Wan nodded, putting the offer out there for consideration. "Master Luminara's fleet is close by, she could provide support."  
"I agree Obi-Wan, we are in the best position to arrive at the right time with the correct strength." Luminara added, smiling faintly at Emily.  
'I would have liked the 501st nearby for added backup but the 212th and the 41st will do an admirable job. The more fleets we can field, the better it will be. Dooku is well known for his tricks and deception.' Emily agreed, turning the possibilities over.  
"Unfortunately, Anakin is out of action at the moment. His cruisers are severely damaged and now limping towards Naboo for repairs." Obi-Wan shrugged, wishing he had better news.  
'Now why doesn't that surprise me anymore.' Emily chuckled, not concerned for her 501st sons. If something terrible had happened, someone would have sent her an urgent message.

Taking a chance and hoping it didn't blow up in her face, Emily turned and deactivated the shield, welcoming Aloysius and Rufus to stand with her as they nutted out the details of the mission. Showing that he was trying to make the best of this situation, Aloysius stepped out of the cell and came up beside Emily, keeping his hands where she could see them at all times. Rufus stayed in the cell, hanging back and putting his faith in Aloysius to sort out the best plan of attack.  
"There is a Coruscant Guard fleet available here on Coruscant, I could bring that out to assist with the battle." Master Tiin offered, understanding Emily's concerns about Dooku.  
'A wise idea Master Tiin. Your abilities in a starfighter will also likely come in most useful.' Emily nodded, planning the battle in her mind. 'The real trick will be fooling Dooku so I can get aboard his ship and work my magic. Of course, finding an escape shuttle large enough to hold everyone will be another issue but at a pinch, we could probably all cram into the Black Raven.'  
'That's the beauty of the modifications done to the Raven, there's more space inside without compromising integrity. So long as no one minds cramped quarters, we'll all fit.' Rufus grinned, confident in his fighter, even with all the modifications.  
'How long until the Raven will be ready for the journey?' Emily asked, turning to Rufus again.  
'How long for you to kit up and be ready to leave? She's got more than enough left in the tanks to get us to the Devaron system.' Rufus countered, bringing up the cockpit in his mind and checking the gauges.  
'Point taken. Master Tiin, how long for you to ready your fleet?' Emily nodded, planning out the equipment she would need.  
"4 hours should be sufficient to make sure everything is ready." Saesee replied, the order already passed to prepare the fleet.  
'The smart thing to do would be for us to get going fairly soon. My fighter might be fast but she can't race a Republic cruiser. We'll need those extra four hours to reach Devaron and have our part of the plan well underway by the time the cruisers arrive.' Rufus warned, thinking about what his fighter was capable of now. 'If my calculations are correct, we'll only have to hold out about an hour for the cruisers to arrive.'  
"So if we leave in four hours, we should arrive just in time to rescue you from a very dangerous situation." Obi-Wan grinned, watching Emily closely.  
'You just worry about arriving in the right place on time, Obi-Wan. I'll handle the hard part, I've done sneaking around like this before.' Emily shrugged, unconcerned about his comments.  
'What about us? While you're sneaking around for the prisoners, what do you intend us to be doing?' Aloysius asked, finding a glaring hole in Emily's plan.  
'That's easy. You'll be running with me, I'll need your guidance around the enemy cruiser. And Rufus will stay with the Black Raven, ready for a rapid escape. Usually there's some kind of shuttle available in the Seppie hangers for a quick steal and escape but if there isn't one this time, we'll have to use the Raven to make our getaway.' Emily briefed, her daring plan leaving the men in shock.  
'Ten onboard the Raven…it's gonna be real tight in the back but I think we'll be okay.' Rufus nodded, having never pushed his fighter to carry that many people at once.  
"Then it is settled. In four hours, we will depart for the Devaron system to secure your small fighter with ten life signs onboard." Luminara nodded, satisfied with the plan.  
'And knock a few more of Dooku's ships out of the war.' Emily added, her sons wouldn't be satisfied unless they did some serious damage to the Seppies.  
"It is easy to see why your sons are so motivated by you Emily." Saesee remarked, quite impressed with Emily's behaviour.  
'You haven't seen anything yet, Master Tiin. I'm just getting warmed up.' Emily smirked, set on her path. 'We have much to do before we leave. We'll see you in the Devaron system.'

Shutting off the holotable, Emily smiled faintly and turned to the pair waiting for whatever was going to happen next. The all knew this was a dangerous mission, there was a chance none of them would survive to see this compound again.  
'The least I can do is offer you a bite to eat and a chance to shower before we head out. I need a few minutes to explain the situation to my sons here before we leave for this mission.' she offered, motioning for the pair to precede her.  
'You deserve that much Emily.' Aloysius nodded, taking the time to examine the beautiful house.  
'Jimmy here will show you to the dining hall. Just ask the cooking droids for some of the leftovers from lunch.' Emily guided, indicating the patiently waiting LEP droid just outside the door. 'I'll meet you out by the Raven in 30 minutes.'  
'This way, Sirs.' Jimmy chirped, leading the pair towards the stairs.

#~#~^~#~#

Donning her new hunting uniform, Emily smiled at the fit. The inky black bodysuit hugged so comfortably, outlining her curves and still protecting her. From neck to wrists and down to her ankles, the soft fabric would hide her in the shadows as she worked to complete her mission. Over this she wore a soft Kama and short cloak, breaking up her figure without it being obvious. Finishing the look, soft gloves and a tight cowl covering her head and keeping her hair out of the way. The cowl also included a mask to draw up over her lower face to further hide her identity. Finishing off the look, she pulled on her old combat boots, lacing them up firmly and fitting the cover plates over the laces. Made from the same plastoid as the armour her sons wore, the covers kept her laces from coming undone and also smoothed out the look, adding another dimension to her shadow image.

Hiding a carbine under her cloak, securing her pistols to her hips in new custom leather holsters, worn in by her gentle hands late at night and tucking her favoured combat knife into a modified back mount harness, she was ready for brutal combat. Her sons would be concerned about her going in without armour but she couldn't waste the time getting a set and repainting it for the job. She'd just have to be extra careful to avoid getting hurt.

Wasting no time, Emily didn't bother with the stairs, she simply walked out onto her balcony and grabbed the rope tied to the elegant stone frieze around her balcony. Heaving over the edge, she slid down the long rope gracefully, controlling her slide with her hands and calves only. This was a nice little warm up to whatever this mission could bring her, a refresher of military training not used for nearly ten years.

Touching down lightly, she checked her weapons and ran towards the waiting fighter, many of her sons stopping what they were doing to say a proper goodbye to their mother. Using every minute of her remaining time on Alderaan, Emily promised her boys that she'd make it home again and bring with her new parental figures for them to enjoy. That got her sons excited, she would always be their buir but a few bavodu'e would be a new excitement for everyone.

Cutting it down to the second of her allocated 30 minutes, Emily took a few moments to hug Angel and Slick close before handing them back into Fox's care until she made it home. A few final words of guidance for Fox and Emily ran for the waiting fighter, a shadow of combat readiness among her sweet boys.

Scaling the ladder with the speed of familiarity, Emily slipped into the cockpit, squeezing past Rufus and Aloysius to settle in the altered bomb bay. Instead of the old Earth technology she knew well, it was outfitted with the latest Separatist technology. The missiles that had once graced the forward sweeping wings had been replaced with proton torpedo launchers and laser cannons. The supply crates that had once lined one side of the cramped little bomb bay had been replaced with Separatist marked supplies and the old cages were gone too, instead there were shock binders attached via chains to a new reinforcing bar running along the side of the bay.  
'All done Emily?' Rufus asked, dual engine notes filling the air.  
'Yeah, let's get out of here. We've got a big job ahead and it's not going to be easy.' Emily nodded, perching on one of the crates. 'I'm guessing you fitted at least a small AGG into this beast somewhere along the line.'  
'Yeah, we fitted a small artificial gravity generator in here. It's not the best and it doesn't always work properly but it's the best we could fit in without totally tearing the Raven apart.' Rufus confirmed, launching skyward with a little more bounce than Emily felt truly comfortable with.  
'Whoa, think I left my stomach back on the ground.' she uttered, grabbing for a stronger handhold against the inner hull.  
'Yeah, my special lady has a lot more power in her now. What you're feeling now is the dual kick of the upgraded atmospheric engines and the atmospheric setting of the new space engines on the outer control network. That black ring you probably noticed encircling the Raven not only supports the space engines on the outside of the tailfins but also carries our shield generators and hyperdrive.' Rufus explained, lifting the nose and rocketing into space.  
'Holy shit, this girl has some serious power under her now.' Emily uttered, amazed by the power she could feel.  
'Watch it back there, switching to full vacuum engines.' Rufus warned, knowing that sometimes the switch caused a pretty nasty jolt up the back.

Riding out the sharp jump the fighter gave, Emily eased to her feet and moved forward, supporting her weight against Knight's chair. Watching over his shoulder, she had a moment to appreciate the incredible upgrades and modifications the Black Raven had undergone.  
'And I thought my life had been dramatically improved since diving through the rift. I found true peace, you found something all together more impressive. That said, I wouldn't trade motherhood for anything.' she remarked, feeling another jolt as Rufus engaged the hyperdrive.  
'So what is it you actually do with your time now Emily?' Rufus asked, settling back from the controls and turning to look her in the eye.  
'Apart from mother 4.1 million clones, I don't have time for much else. I encourage them to be kids and discover the childhood that was stolen from them all. I encourage them to learn new, civilian hobbies and expand on their knowledge whenever they have a chance. I teach them to ride bicycles, play paintball, cook, to paint and draw or master a musical instrument. Whatever my sons want to learn, I'm here to teach them.' Emily explained, smiling at the memories of her sons as they learned new things.  
'Obviously not all at once. That place doesn't seem big enough to house many clones, in the grand scheme.' Aloysius mused, looking up at Emily with a grin.  
'No, the main house sleeps 1,000. They rotate by the month, company by company. This month it's the Coruscant Guard, next month its Kamino cadets and last month was the 327th. The west convalescence house holds 600 permanent residents and the care home on the east has another 500 that are seriously wounded, requiring 24 hour care. The assisted living village is underway now, that's another 70 that I'm responsible for but they can take care of themselves with minimal help. The care and convalescence homes will never be empty, I'm now the caretaker for all the imperfect clones and those that are seriously injured and deemed no longer fit for combat.' Emily listed, putting her story out on the table to balance the situation between them. Rufus and Knight were giving away their new secrets, it was only fair she did the same. 'Then there's Angel and Slick, two very messed up clones. Slick was regressed after beating reconditioning twice. He's physically 26 but mentally he's about 7 now. Angel suffers from a genetic fault, his joints are severely malformed. With many rounds of surgery, he might gain enough movement in his limbs that a hoverchair will meet his needs for independence and mobility but he'll never be able to stand with his brothers on the front lines.'

Now she had their attention, the sad stories of Angel and Slick always got attention. But the numbers she had to deal with also tended to get a lot of attention from those who had no idea just what the clones had to struggle with daily.  
'Just how much do you know about the clones?' she asked, flicking Knight in the ear to shake him from his thoughts. 'That wasn't a rhetorical question.'  
'Only what Separatist holonet tells us. We don't get access to the same data you have, obviously.' Aloysius replied, rubbing his ear gently. 'You know, emotionless flesh-droids.'  
'That explains a lot. Alright, it's time for a crash course in the GAR and the clones.' Emily sighed, moving to squeeze into the small gap between the seats and the inner hull. 'Pay attention to this, it's important that you understand what I came to understand.'

Pushing her mask down and getting as comfortable as she could on the chill steel floor, she removed her carbine from under her cloak and set it beside her thigh, her pistols landing beside it a moment later. She was delaying the story, getting her thoughts in order so she could give them all the info without missing the vital details.  
'Forget everything that the Seppies told you, not one word of that propaganda is real. Put it out of your mind, just like everything else related to the Seppies, its garbage. Before we reach Devaron, I will tell you as much of the real story of the GAR as I can, keep an open mind and listen to what I'm telling you. The rules here are different and I hope by the end of this tale, you will understand why I do what I do now.' she guided, looking up at the pair and wondering how they would take the story.

Dropping her gaze, Emily thought back to how her sons had told her the truth. But she was softer than Aloysius and Rufus, she actually knew how to care about the average men, unlike these two. She had no idea how they would react to the story. She could only hope they had some decency left and would agree to help right a wrong.  
'The clones are not born, they are decanted or hatched, depending on who you speak with. From the moment they are lifted out of their nutrient solution by a nanny droid, put into their first diaper and carried away to the crèche, they are soldiers. By about 18 months of age, they are learning to handle accurate but safe weapons and by three years, they are doing live fire exercises. Those that are selected to be pilots, tank operators or command staff are put into advanced training at age 5. Age ten puts them on the front lines, facing death on a daily basis. The average survival rate of a clone trooper on the frontlines is two months, a new batch of 10,000 leaves Kamino every three months. So far, the longest surviving clone veteran is just 16.' Emily briefed, watching the shock and horror in their eyes as they digested that she'd said.  
'Just ten and they're facing the frontlines? But they look twice that age.' Aloysius uttered, stunned by the youthful ages Emily spoke of.  
'The Kaminoan cloners mess with their genetics, making them more docile and less likely to disobey the Jedi Generals. Part of the genetic modifications is the rapid aging. They age at twice the standard rate so by age ten, they are fully grown, adult men.' Emily nodded, swallowing the bile rising in her throat.  
'So basically Dooku wanted us to orphan 4.1 million kids in one fell swoop.' Rufus swallowed, horrified by what he'd been prepared to do.  
'That's about the sum of it Rufus.' Emily replied, reaching out to squeeze his wrist. 'Life is hard for my sons from day 1 and it never gets any better…until I started to make a difference.'  
'Tell us more Emily, we've been so blind to the truth.' Aloysius coaxed, turning to face her properly. 'I had no idea the Republic was using such evil as child soldiers.'  
'A necessary evil unfortunately. The Republic has no standing Army and certainly nothing that could stand up to the Separatist threat. The clones were the only choice.' Emily shrugged, shifting again and letting her companions think on her words a bit more.

Picking up her carbine and setting it across her lap, Emily returned her pistols to their holsters and let her mind drift back to the boys she'd left behind on Alderaan. They were probably worried about her, putting on brave faces for Slick, Angel and the other damaged brothers but inside, worried for her safety.  
'Tell us more Emily, please.' Rufus coaxed, checking their flight path was still as he'd planned.  
'You want more, okay then.' Emily nodded, reaching into one of the small pockets sewn into her cloak and withdrawing two ration sticks. 'Have a go at these. Clone ration sticks, one is a snack, two makes a meal. Carefully formulated to be the perfect balance of nutrients that a clone needs to maintain peak efficiency.'

The first taste was always the worst and these two proved no different. One little tentative nibble, just enough to get the bland flavour and sandy texture had them both scrambling for canteens hung in easy reach.  
'This is the clone version of MREs?' Rufus choked, peering at the stick in his hand like it was a deadly weapon.  
'And I thought the stuff the Seppies offered us was bad.' Aloysius choked, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.  
'Yeah, that's about the same reaction as the first time I tried those damned things. You get used to them, eventually. I try to eat at least one a day, just to show my sons that I understand the challenges they face. It might seem like a minor thing but to them, seeing their mother eating their standard rations makes them happy.' Emily shrugged, pulling out a third stick and taking a bite. 'Once you get over the taste and texture, they really aren't that bad.'  
'I'll save it for later, when I'm really hungry.' Rufus promised, tucking the stick away inside his flight suit. 'I had no idea the clones had it so rough.'  
'Your re-education is only just beginning Rufus, there is so much more you don't know about my sons.' Emily corrected, getting to her feet. 'But we really should be focusing on our rescue plan.'


	18. Shadow Rescue

Knowing that everything had to run on time, Emily slipped out of the cockpit and ran, trusting in the appearance of a smoking, sparking fighter to keep the droids occupied. It was all faked; Rufus had shorted out a few non-essential systems to create the effect without damaging the Black Raven. Hugging the walls and moving in erratic directions to create the illusion of something beyond the normal, she moved quickly away from the hanger, following the map Aloysius had shown her as they approached.

Finding one of the maintenance shafts he'd suggested, she pulled the hatch free and climbed inside, bracing her weight in the narrow shaft to pull the hatch back into place before moving fast towards the brig of the ship. If everything went to plan, Aloysius would meet her inside the brig and cover her as she searched for the hostages. But Emily was fully expecting things to not go to plan; they never did when Shane was involved.

Breaking left and dropping down another maintenance shaft, she grabbed the railing of an aft-ward walkway and swung onto the next walkway down, landing lightly and running hard towards the next goal she had to face. Locating the hatch, she kicked it open and crawled out, constantly checking the area around her as she replaced the hatch and took off again. If the map was right, she was almost at the brig, just another few corners.

Swirling her cloak and Kama as she turned, she raced for a small maintenance entrance to the brig, noting with some satisfaction that Aloysius was already waiting for her, mostly hidden from view by an internal strut but she saw him. Slowing her pace, Emily came to a stop beside him, hands resting lightly on her pistols.  
'Come on, 45 minutes until the cruisers arrive. Through here, then it gets challenging.' Aloysius uttered, reaching out to pull open the door beside them.  
'Dozens of identical cells but we're only looking for a few specific faces, I know.' Emily nodded, slipping through the doorway and heading for the cells.

These weren't the usual style of cells on Seppie cruisers, not if the stories from her sons were to be believed. These cells didn't have the solid steel doors they spoke of; instead they were closed with bars and shields. Not sure why the cells were different, Emily was just glad that maybe they had a chance to find Shane and the others easier. Taking a risk and hoping her hunch was right, Emily lowered her mask and whistled the first few bars of a song that every Marine knew.  
'What…' Aloysius started but Emily reached out and slapped her hand over his mouth, listening intently for a response.

It was faint but there it was; the next few bars of the song. Motioning for Aloysius to follow, she drew her mask back up and whistled the next bit, tracking the replies as she kept bouncing the song back and forth with the hidden prisoners. Starting over when the song reached the end, Emily kept tracking faithfully, dodging droid patrols and dragging Aloysius along on the weirdest search mission he'd done in a while.

#~#~^~#~#

Hearing a noise that Rex had told her about in detail, Emily gulped and pressed back against the wall, falling silent as she shoved Aloysius in beside her. Scarcely daring to breathe, they waited for three droidika to pass and disappear around the corner behind them before moving on, keeping their steps light without losing speed.

Checking the next corner, Aloysius nodded and waved Emily forward, hanging back as she darted around the corner and whistled that damned song again. The reply was louder now, leading them deeper into the maze of the brig. Motioning for Knight to follow again, Emily kept up the pattern of whistling and tracking, leading him right into the core of the brig.

Sitting in three cells at the end of the corridor, the seven they'd come to find were all on their feet, straining to see what was going on. Hugging the shadows once more, Emily whistled another few bars, smiling behind her mask as three replied to her call. Glancing at Aloysius, she nodded and broke cover, running towards the three cells they were interested in this time.

Sliding to a neat stop in front of the first cell, she drew one of her pistols and fired into the controls, shorting out the shield. Reaching under her cloak again, she pulled out a small roll of something she'd brought from Earth and wound lengths of the white cord around several of the bars. Twisting those lengths together, she connected them to a longer line and flicked the end out towards the middle of the corridor. Moving quickly, she repeated the shorting and cabling process on the other two cells and moved back, twisting the three long cords together.  
'If you value your lives, hug the walls. I don't know how this will work.' she warned, gaze flicking between the occupied cells. 'Shut your eyes and cover your ears, this could get messy.'

Lighting the end of the cords, Emily turned and ran, ducking around the nearest corner and covering her ears. Shooting her a look, Aloysius hunkered down beside her and covered his ears as well, wondering just what she was planning. Smirking at him, Emily just pressed up against the wall behind them and waited for the big bang.

The shortest lengths of det cord went off with a sharp crack, severing the bars top and bottom. Lowering her hands, Emily shoved Aloysius back around the corner, running to meet the seven now emerging from their cells.  
'Come on, we can't stay here. The Seppies are sure to have heard that one.' Emily hissed, wiping the sweat from her forehead and drawing her pistols. 'Knight, time check.'  
'20 minutes.' Aloysius replied, opening up the backpack he'd been carrying. Reaching inside, he yanked out carbines and pistols for everyone, handing them around quickly.  
'We'll explain everything later. For now, just know that Falcon has your backs and it's time to leave.' Emily winked, keeping a sharp eye out for trouble.  
'There's no time now Scarecrow. Suffice to say, it's run with Falcon or die like dogs.' Aloysius added, shouldering the empty pack and whipping up his pistols.  
'I should have guessed it was you, Falcon. No one else would use The Marine Hymn as a locator call.' Shane smirked, raising his pistols and moving forward.  
'Save the chatter, Scarecrow. Let's move!' Emily hissed, checking everyone was ready before taking off back through the brig, leading the rescued group back towards safety.

#~#~^~#~#

Finishing up the repairs to the shorts he'd created in the circuits, Rufus kept one eye on the hanger bay, checking for a shuttle that they could steal to make their escape. Either someone else was using it or this ship had already had theirs stolen, so far only vulture droids were in the area, maintenance crews busily tending to them. If no shuttle appeared, Rufus knew what to do, he already had the bay ramp extended and the cockpit open to allow the returning team to enter by both points so they could get away faster. 

Checking his chrono as he shut the access panel, Rufus swore softly. Time was ticking away, the Republic fleets were expected to arrive in the next few minutes. If they weren't clear of the Seppie cruiser before the Republic arrived, there was a chance they would all be killed by accident. Normally Rufus didn't mind taking risks but with Emily around and her new mission to give the clones a childhood, he had to make sure she made it home safely. The only way that could happen was if he got everyone away cleanly.

Circling his fighter to make sure he'd repaired all the false damage, he snapped around at the sound of a running gun battle and swallowed when he saw Emily running out of the far corridor, shooting back behind them. Scrambling up into the Raven, Rufus grabbed his big rotary cannon from the rack and squeezed back into the cockpit, climbing up onto the chair and stitching his fire over their heads.

Ducking fire and pushing hard, the nine raced towards the waiting Raven, still firing at the droids coming after them but now they really had to focus on the escape. Skidding to identical stops just outside the added ring, Emily and Aloysius turned and fired with Rufus, picking off their targets as quickly as they could.  
'Get onboard, all of you! It's gonna be tight so I hope you're feeling friendly.' Rufus barked, maintaining his fire as the rescued group raced for the lowered ramp and headed up, squeezing and shoving. Falling back, Emily covered their ascent, nailing any droids that were dumb enough to poke their heads out.  
'It's just you two now!' she called, scrambling up the ramp and pressing in between two men she didn't know.  
'Come on Aloysius, move it!' Rufus snapped, his rotary blaster hitting the deck beside his chair as he dropped into the seat. Within seconds, Aloysius was vaulting into the cockpit, hissing in pain as a lucky shot clipped his shoulder. Ducking his head, he scrambled into his chair and dropped his pistols to the deck, reaching instead for the nearest medpack.

Sealing the ramp and cockpit, Rufus fired up the outer engines only and raised the shield, protecting them from the droids that were still determined to recapture the prisoners. Rising from the deck, he turned the Raven and raced for the slowly closing hanger doors, ignoring the minor enemy fire splashing across their shield. Picking up speed, he tipped the Raven onto her starboard wing and raced out of the hanger, flipping back level and racing away as fast as her engines could take them.  
'Now that's precision. Republic cruisers dead ahead!' he called, weaving through the heavy fire the Seppie cruiser was putting out. 'Hold on back there! We're not out of hell just yet!'  
'Someone else will need to take the cannon, dead arm.' Aloysius warned, launching from the rear seat, right arm hanging limp.  
'I've got it.' Emily nodded, squeezing through the group to plop in the seat. Donning the helmet Aloysius handed her, she took the controls and spun around, trying to keep up with the vulture droids all around them.

Putting his considerable flight abilities up against the droids, Rufus grunted with the effort as he flipped the Raven through a full 360 to the right then pushed her nose down, weaving and rolling as quickly as the Raven could to avoid the heavy numbers. Hearing a fresh shower of sparks erupt somewhere up the back, he glanced at the system register in the corner of his flight HUD and swore, rolling sharply to the right. Of all the systems to blow, it just had to be the artificial gravity generator.  
'Whoa, turn the gravity back on!' Veronique yelped, struggling to maintain a foothold.  
'Can't, blew the generator!' Rufus yelled, silencing the alert in his ear and continuing to run the gauntlet. 'Hunter! Which one?'  
'One moment and I'll mark it.' Emily replied, swinging the underslung heavy laser cannon around. Switching to torpedos, she targeted the cruiser she wanted but before the weapon could fire, she switched back to the underslung cannon.  
'Target locked.' Rufus nodded, turning the Raven over again and heading for the cruiser the guidance computer had splashed.

Squeezing into the press of bodies in the back, Aloysius ripped open the sparking panel and reached in to yank the override switch, shutting off the energy pouring through the blown generator. From what he could smell, they were lucky it was just the artificial gravity that had gone, things were getting hot in the back.  
'We're getting a temp spike in the internal mods, watch it Rufus!" he called, resecuring the panel cover so it wasn't flying around loose.  
'Copy that.' Rufus confirmed, throwing the fighter back to the left.  
'Mother, I love you but get your head out of my crotch!' Shane yelped, trying not to lose the one handgrip he had as he pushed her back.  
'Who put their hand on my ass!' Ralph growled, stuck between supply crates and the big Frenchman. 'Seriously, get off my ass.'  
'I would if I could.' the skinny guy in glasses shot back, pinned between the big Frenchman and the inner hull. 'I'm squashed and someone is on my foot.'  
'Sorry David, I think that's my foot on yours. I know I'm standing on someone.' Buck offered, one hand around a prisoner securing rail and the other wrapped around the Frenchwoman.  
'Rufus, ETA!' Aloysius called, grunting when the big Frenchman wobbled and slammed into him, crushing him against the inner hull.  
'Five minutes!' Rufus offered, rolling the fighter again and sending everyone to the left.

Suddenly the tide turned dramatically, fighters swarming from nine Republic cruisers and aiming towards the vultures harassing the Raven. Easing back on the triggers, Emily activated the comm unit in the helmet, dialling in on a frequency she knew off by heart.  
'Republic vessels, this is Emily Hunter. Thanks for the assist. We're heading for the Negotiator with seven rescued Separatist prisoners. I repeat, this is Republic buir Emily Hunter, heading for the Negotiator with seven rescued Separatist prisoners.' she called, hoping that someone with pull was listening.  
"We were starting to wonder where you were Emily. It's good to hear the mission was a success. Space has been prepared in the ventral hanger for the fighter you found." Obi-Wan replied, bringing a smile to Emily's face.  
'Copy that Obi-Wan, we'll be there shortly. Also, please have a medic standing by, we took some injuries while making our escape.' Emily nodded, glancing over to where Aloysius was crouched between two supply crates.  
"Understood Emily, I will pass that message to Cody." Obi-Wan confirmed, the mention of Cody lifting Emily's spirits.  
'Tell Cody I wish to see him as well.' Emily continued, swinging the chair around to nail a vulture that was way too close. 'Hunter out.'

Pushing aside the joy at seeing Cody and the others again, Emily refocused on her primary role at the moment, nailing vulture droids still circling their position. It wasn't easy to keep up with them, especially with the sharp turns Rufus was pulling off but she did an admirable job of keeping the enemy craft back from the Raven. Her sons were doing their job too, swooping in to protect the Raven while avoiding Emily's heavy outgoing fire.

Levelling out his flight path one they were close to the cruiser Emily had targeted, Rufus aimed towards the ventral hanger bay and swept inside safely, turning his fighter and entering the starboard hanger near where several clones were waiting. Disengaging his space engines and letting the old atmospheric engines hold them for a moment, he switched the landing system and eased down, landing with only the faintest shudder through the well loved old fighter.

Opening the canopy and dropping the rear ramp, Rufus stood and stretched, immediately noticing that none of the clones here were particularly friendly to them. Squeezing out past him, Emily climbed out onto the ladder and whistled sharply, drawing the attention of her armed sons and keeping them from worrying about the people with her.  
'Put the weapons down, ner ade. They are my people, from the other side of the rift. You will treat them as such, as bavodu'e.' she instructed, climbing down and removing her cowl and mask. 'Cody, where are you, ad?'  
'Here, buir.' he replied, handing his carbine to the clone at his side and moving forward.

Leaving their weapons onboard the Raven, the rest of the group disembarked slowly, looking around in wonder at the clean, bright hanger that stretched away in both directions. Staying close to the modified plane, they weren't sure what to think of the Republic side of the conflict, it went against everything the Separatists told them.  
'Buir said someone needed a medic. My name is Patch, I'll take care of it.' Patch wore his dark hair very short, curling lines of blonde running from his temples back.  
'That'd be me, droid caught me as we were making our escape.' Aloysius nodded, working out of his shirt and turning to present his burned shoulder to the young medic.  
'Just come and sit down on this crate and I'll clean this up, won't take long.' Patch nodded, leading Aloysius to a small crate just sitting there in the middle of nowhere.

Sending Cody on another task for her, Emily returned to the group she'd rescued and shook her hair out of the tight braid she'd worn for the mission. Throwing it into a loose, low ponytail, she relaxed visibly, glad that the mission was over with.  
'So now what happens Emily? We were in Separatist hands for almost two years, surely no one will just let us leave.' Shane asked, glancing over to where Aloysius was sitting.  
'You will be debriefed on what you learned while in Separatist hands and then, we'll all likely be dropped off on Alderaan. I will vouch for all of you, regardless of how long I have known you. If that's not good enough, I'm sure the Republic will provide you with comfortable cells until the war is over and you can't possibly pass Intel back to the Seppies again.' Emily shrugged, spotting Obi-Wan entering the hanger and walking towards the group.  
'So the choice is Republic prisoners or your prisoners.' Mother scoffed, not at all thrilled with that idea.  
'No, the choice is Republic lockup or reasonable freedom on Alderaan. At least with me you'll get real food, fresh air and sunlight on a daily basis.' Emily corrected, slapping on a smile as Obi-Wan joined the group. 'Obi-Wan, meet the reason we're all out here. I can only assume the Council wants to talk to them.'  
'The Council does wish to speak with these people, just to see if they have anything of use to tell us. Until that meeting, they are released to your watch and once the discussion is concluded, they will be left in your care. Master Yoda believes they will be of more use to you than anyone else.' Obi-Wan nodded, looking the group over carefully.

Rejoining the group with his shirt shoved through his belt and his right arm tucked up in a sling, Aloysius wasn't in the best of moods but he knew when to keep his mouth shut. Motioning for him to turn, Emily examined the job Patch had done and nodded, deciding not to tell Aloysius that he'd been treated by a medic just three days into his duty.  
'Back to Alderaan or Coruscant?' Emily asked, concerned for the sons she'd left at home.  
'Unless you have other business on Coruscant, the Admiral has orders to return you to Alderaan.' Obi-Wan replied, looking up as a new shower of sparks erupted from the system ring around the Black Raven.  
'Well that settles it, I'm grounded until I've got time to give this girl a full check. That shouldn't have blown.' Rufus groaned, opening the ring and shutting off the spark shower. 'I knew it was a good idea to land on the wheels instead of the other landing gear. Something overloaded the landing systems.'  
'I don't have much of a fighter repair area on Alderaan, best I can offer is a landing pad.' Emily shrugged, looking up at Rufus. 'I might be able to fund getting something built, it'll take time but I'll get there.'  
'I don't need much. Got most of my tools onboard, I can probably do some of the repairs here, enough to nurse her to the ground but that's about it without parts.' Rufus nodded, ducking under the ring and opening up a panel on the Raven. Reaching inside, he pulled several switches and the humming around the fighter fell silent, the ring sagging just a fraction.  
'There are some spare parts on board, perhaps some of those items will fit your rather unique fighter. I can't promise we have everything you need but we will try.' Obi-Wan suggested, waving for one of the maintenance crews to come over. 'Spanner and his team will be able to assist you, they know the full inventory of parts available onboard.'

Thinking it over for a moment, Rufus nodded and ducked underneath the Raven, disappearing inside as he muttered away under his breath. He returned a few minutes later, a datapad in his hand and a deep frown on his shaggy face.  
'According to the damage computer onboard, these are the parts that need replacing. I know these are the Seppie IDs for this gear but I doubt it'll be hard to figure out what I need.' he shrugged, holding out the datapad to the redhead with the hydrospanner tattoo on his neck.  
'I'll have to check the conversion sheets but I think we've got most of this in stock.' Spanner nodded, scanning the list quickly. 'I'd suggest you move your fighter over to the supply lift over there but it doesn't look like this one is moving any time soon.'  
'Don't count her out just yet. Where's the nearest supply lift?' Rufus grinned, looking around the hanger for a moment.  
'Over there, with the bright yellow and black markings around the edge.' Spanner pointed to the spot, it was probably only 30 meters away.  
'We can do that. We're going to need some space to move and a lot of pushing power. This girl is heavy.' Rufus nodded, looking to his companions for help.  
'You're gonna push it? That'll tear up the deck.' Spanner worried, looking the fighter over again.  
'Not with her wheels down, she'll glide if we can just get her moving and then stop her again.' Rufus corrected, reaching up into the open bomb bay again and pulling out two heavy bars before manually closing the ramp.  
'Alright then, if you're sure about this.' Spanner agreed, whistling sharply to get more backup to move the fighter.  
'Jean-Claude, I'll need you up the front with me, we should be strong enough to control the path.' Rufus guided, crouching and attaching the long bar to the front landing strut before attaching the shorter one to form a T pull bar. 'Everyone else, get in behind and be ready to push, just try not to let her run away.'

Not really surprised that Obi-Wan had left them to do this the hard way, Emily rolled her eyes and jumped in to help, putting her shoulder to the front strut where there was still enough space for her. Toes digging into the durasteel decking, the massed group pushed as one, shoving the modified fighter across the deck. Once they got it moving, it was easy enough to manoeuvre the fighter as required, different groups pushing or pulling as needed. Turning was a little bit more of a challenge but with the strength of Rufus and Jean-Claude leading the way, they got the Black Raven turned to line up with the side of the supply lift. Stopping the fighter took a little more effort, everyone else running to apply their strength in the other direction as Rufus, Jean-Claude and Emily pushed against the T-bar to keep control.  
'She's a little off target but not bad considering.' Rufus shrugged, disconnecting the T-bar and pulling it apart.  
'When did you want to start the repairs?' Spanner asked, looking the fighter over with a critical eye. 'Not that I'm sure we'll be much help, this is far beyond our training.'  
'Give me an hour to clean up and relax then I'll be back to start repairs. This girl ain't so hard to work with, I'll show you how.' Rufus replied, watching the excitement light up in their eyes.  
'Thank you ba'vodu. We'll get the parts organised while you're winding down.' Spanner nodded, motioning for his team to follow him from the hanger at a full sprint.  
'Well done Rufus, you just made those boys very happy. Their desire to learn is powerful, anything you can teach them will be shared among other maintenance crews very quickly.' Emily praised, releasing the high collar of her bodysuit and peeling the cloth away.  
'What did they call me, Emily?' Rufus asked, not even game to try and pronounce the word.  
'ba'vodu. It means Uncle or Aunt, depending on the context.' Emily explained, pleased to see that her sons were accepting her friends. 'Cody should be done organising temporary quarters for us. Just follow me, you're perfectly safe here.'  
'Despite where we've been for the last two years?' Buck asked, coming up beside her.  
'So long as I say you're good people, my people, the GAR won't question your presence. They understand that when I say my people, I'm talking about the rift and my homeworld now out of reach. Nine months ago, the rift disappeared from all scanners. We're stuck now.' Emily nodded, remembering the ache in her gut when news came in that she could never go back.

#~#~^~#~#

Entering one of the ready rooms up near the bridge, Emily smiled at the sight inside. Cody had gone further than simply providing a secure, private room where Emily could talk to her friends in peace. He'd pulled out all the stops, creating a luxurious home away from home with soft cushions to relax on and plates of food scattered around in easy reach from every organised seat. Perched on stools in one corner, Cody, Punch and Waxer were weaving a new song through the room, the sound rather exotic but deeply satisfying.

Settling on one of the soft piles, Emily stretched out and relaxed, her smile widening when Chopper approached and offered her a chilled glass of a sweet fruit juice. Accepting the glass, Emily reached up and lightly stroked his cheek, reaffirming their connection.  
'Make yourselves comfortable my friends, this is a standard welcome into a Mandalorian home. Much like some Middle Eastern cultures and certainly the Greeks, food and drink is offered immediately when guests arrive, to welcome you to their home.' Emily explained, reaching for one of the small savoury treats on the tray near her elbow.  
'Well, when in Rome.' Shane shrugged, finding a comfortable spot and accepting the offered juice. 'Thank you.'

Shane's acceptance of this new culture helped the rest of the group to relax, no real surprise to Emily since she hadn't ever been close to any of them. But as they were served the sweet drink and sampled the food, they started to relax and turn to watch Emily as she spoke quietly with her sons and listened to the unusual music around them.  
'So Emily, what happens now?' Mother asked, smiling softly at Ralph as sampled the unusual new flavours and foods on offer.  
'Have patience Gena, all will be explained soon.' Emily replied, adjusting the carbine strapped across her back. 'My sons, I will see you again before I leave. For now, I need to speak with my companions in privacy.'

Packing away their instruments and picking up their stools, the boys filed towards the door, careful not to bump the relaxing guests. Setting out extra food and sealed jugs of fruit juice within reach of everyone, Chopper was last to leave the room, closing and locking the door behind him so Emily had her privacy and peace.  
'Where do I start, Gena? The Separatists have poisoned your minds, the propaganda they spread about the clones is truly evil. They are not the mindless, emotionless flesh-droids that the Seppies tell people they are. The clones are just as human as any of us, lacking the same basic rights as we have but they are the same.' Emily sighed, hoping she wouldn't have to go through this same explanation too many times. 'But before we really get into the truth about the clones, there are three people in this room that I don't know at all. My reputation is on the line for total strangers. Time to correct that issue.'  
'I'm David Fairfax. I used to work with the Defence Intelligence Agency. I helped Scarecrow and company stay a few steps ahead of the people out to kill him.' skinny glasses guy offered, eyes blowing wide as he sampled another tasty snack.  
'Master Sergeant Jean-Claude François Michel Huguenot, I served with the First Parachute Regiment before we were taken.' the big Frenchman nodded, gaze flickering to the woman near him, the Frenchwoman.  
'I am Veronique Champion, DGSE. Master Sergeant Huguenot and I were part of a French assault team sent to the artic to kill Captain Schofield after several incidents between him and our great nation. Due to the unusual circumstances of the situation, we ended up helping him save the world. It almost cost Jean-Claude his life.' the dark haired Frenchwoman continued, looking so regal as she sipped her juice.  
'Hmm, an interesting little mix you've picked up Scarecrow. I can't say I'm surprised, you always did have a knack for making slightly unusual friends. Let's face it, we're a real mixed bag but somehow, it works.' Emily smirked, astounded by how far Chopper had taken his skills.  
'I have to agree with you on that one Emily. I still think you take the cake for the oddball in the group. Just what have you been up to in this galaxy?' Shane nodded, turning his attention back to Emily with a smirk.

Chuckling softly, Emily resettled on her cushion and refilled her cup, drawing out the suspense. It was nice to talk it over with the group as one, she didn't know how many times she could go over this without losing her mind.  
'I am known in the Republic as the clone mother. It started on Earth nearly 4 years ago when 28 confused and frightened clones appeared out of nowhere. I took them in and raised them for 18 months, gave them the childhood that the Republic steals from every clone and taught them dozens of different subjects, covering whatever they wanted to learn. Now I make my living as a full time parent, surviving thanks to support from the galactic Senate and generous donations from the civilians my sons protect. They rotate through the homestead on Alderaan, 1000 men each month enjoying the things the Republic took from them. I also tend to the handicapped, be they born handicapped or seriously injured in the war. At the moment, there are 2172 clones calling the compound home. 1172 are permanent residents, handicapped in a wide variety of ways. Some are amputees, others have mental damage due to creation defects or a combat injury and some, the most tragic of cases, are those that have never had a normal life and never will. Angel is a very specific case, his joints are useless, legs permanently tucked under his butt and arms tucked to his chest. It will require around 34 surgeries to give him as much mobility as he could have but it'll never be perfect for him.' Emily explained, opening the collar of her suit more so she could toy with the stone medallion around her neck. 'When we arrive back home, you will see what I mean.'

For a while, no one spoke, everyone lost in their own thoughts on what Emily had told them. Her workload was extreme, so many clones were looking to her alone for all their basic needs and to fulfil a deep desire to be loved by someone outside the ranks. Being a parent was hard enough at the best of times but to parent the GAR alone, such a task seemed impossible.  
'Just how many clones do you parent? The Seppies play down the numbers.' Buck asked, looking at Emily with a new respect.  
'4.1 million at last count, there are always more coming off the cloning facilities on Kamino, roughly 10,000 every three months.' Emily replied, putting her cup down and trying another little tartlet.  
'And you're expected to parent them all on your own. How do you cope?' Ralph gaped, stunned by what he was learning.  
'It's not easy, I'm up with the sun and it's a very late night every night but I do the best I can. Every hour is another challenge, another son that needs some close personal attention. Each day leaves some boys unhappy that I wasn't there for them, I try to make up for that but I can only do so much.' Emily sighed, dropping her gaze. 'I believe that is why Master Yoda made the choice to leave you in my care full time. He has realised I am having trouble and hopes you will be able to assist with the clones.'  
'Us? But how can we help them?' Veronique asked, lowering her glass slowly. 'We are not of this galaxy. What use can we be?'  
'Veronique, I am not of this galaxy either. I was born in Scotland and raised in America. I served under Scarecrow for several years with distinction before I was honourably discharged from service. For a few years, I turned my skills to Bounty Hunting, competing against men like Aloysius and Rufus for money. It was during one such hunt that my career came to a terrifying end and my life was almost forfeit. When I was released from hospital, I turned my hands to a more peaceful life, giving unwanted animals a new home. Then the first 28 arrived on my doorstep, thus began my time as a maternal figure to these child/men.' Emily explained, rubbing her side where her severe crash scar was, the same scar she'd told her sons she got from an IED.  
'Child/men? Such a strange term.' Jean-Claude remarked, scratching at his beard.  
'There is no other term to describe the clones accurately. When they first see frontline duty, they are only 10 years of age. Physically they are fully grown men, but in reality, they age at twice the standard rate. Little boys of three are using real weapons, exactly the same as the ones here on my belt. Boys of 6 are dying in pilot training exercises, they make a mistake, crash into the oceans of Kamino and that's it for them.' Emily knew she sounded bitter but the stories she'd heard from her sons had left deep scars on her soul, she would never be naïve about what they suffered again.  
'Hey, try them with the stick gag. I want to see how they react to it.' Aloysius suggested, trying to lighten the dark mood in the room.  
'Yeah, it's always interesting to see how different people react to those.' Emily nodded, reaching under her cloak to draw out a handful of the ration sticks. 'Here we go, have a go at these. Time for a reality check on clone life. Forget MRE's, this is the Republic ration system.'

Catching the sticks that came flying their way, those that were uneducated about the struggle of clone life had no idea what they were getting into. Once again, that first little nibble got most of them. Shane went for his drink, eyes just about bugging out of his head. Mother swore and spat into a napkin she'd grabbed from the nearest tray. Ralph at least managed to swallow it, but the face he made was priceless. Buck somehow kept it down but quickly covered the flavour with one of the spicy tartlets from the nearest tray. Veronique was exceptionally polite about her distaste of the stick, subtly spitting her mouthful into a napkin and sipping her drink.

But Jean-Claude, he proved to be an exception to the rule. He not only swallowed his first mouthful and kept a totally straight face but he actually went back for more, forgoing the wary nibble for a proper bite.  
'Well I'll be damned. Someone else that can actually have a proper crack at the damned things. Someone not born eating them or making a point to eat them every day.' Emily remarked, astounded when Jean-Claude actually finished the ration stick.  
'I am Le Barbarian, during missions I have eaten much worse than these.' Jean-Claude shrugged, settling back comfortably and picking up his cup. 'And I have decided that you, Emily Hunter, may call me Baba.'  
'Thank you Baba.' Emily nodded, not sure what to make of the big Frenchman or how he'd go with the clones.


	19. Home Again

Arriving over Alderaan, Emily thought for a moment before accepting the offered lift down to the compound from two of the newest pilots. It wasn't that she didn't trust Rufus' flight abilities, the Black Raven had undergone some serious repairs and had a lot of the Seppie tech replaced with Republic gear but the idea of crushing everyone back into the hold of the sleek fighter didn't appeal.

Saying a fond farewell to her 212th sons and promising that their next rotation to the planet would go ahead as planned. That promise calmed her sons, they were worried that Slick's punishment from them would reflect on them again. Emily reassured them again that Slick was doing just fine and was unlikely to react negatively to the arrival of the 212th in the area but she couldn't be certain of his reaction. They were satisfied with that and swore to make the best preparations they could to help Slick accept them when they came face to face again.

Fighting to stay strong for her sons, Emily stepped onto the waiting gunship and grabbed a handhold, relaxed and in control as she waved to her patiently waiting sons. The doors slid shut and sealed, only then did she hang her head and let a lonely tear fall for the sons she couldn't dedicate enough time to, her first 28.  
'Torp, make sure you keep in close with the Black Raven. I do not want Fox and the other Coruscant Guard boys in the compound reacting negatively to Rufus' return without me there with him.' she instructed, looking up towards the sons flying this mission.  
'We're right behind him buir, its okay.' Torp replied, hands steady on the controls as they lifted off and headed for the planet.  
'You okay Emily?' Shane asked, reaching out to lightly touch one gloved hand.  
'Yeah, I'm okay Shane. Those boys that came to see us off; Cody, Chopper, Sketch, Punch, Jester, Gus, Boil and Waxer. They are some of my first 28, they were in Chicago for 18 months. I love all my sons by my first 28 will always be special. They opened my eyes to so much just as I taught them everything I could.' Emily nodded, swallowing down her sadness with practised ease. 'I'll be okay, once we get to the surface there will be plenty to keep me busy.'  
'Like helping us get settled into your home?' Baba asked, seemingly unconcerned by the way the gunship shuddered and swayed.  
'No, I'll assign a couple of droids to take you to the VIP quarters and get you settled in comfortably. My sons will have been worried for my safety.' Emily replied, again brushing the stone at her neck. 'I am a capable warrior but they always worry about their buir getting hurt or kidnapped by the Seppies.'  
'Is there anything else we should know about this first meeting?' Veronique asked, shaking her hair out of her eyes.  
'At first, expect the boys to be standoffish. They don't know you and will possibly see you as a threat. But as the days go past, they'll relax around you and start to accept you as part of the family. Eventually, you'll be seen as extended family, likely addressed as ba'vodu and loved as freely as I am loved. There might be a few that surprise you, be it with a random hug or a tricky question that demands an answer. The best thing you can do is relax and try to enjoy what I have available at the homestead.' Emily advised, checking her cowl and mask were still secure on her belt. 'I brought as many reminders of Earth as I could, hopefully you'll be comfortable.'  
'Just what do you mean by reminders?' Shane asked, suddenly suspicious of her words.  
'I have 100 head of cattle in the large fields to the far east of the buildings, some are slaughtered for the table but most are kept as something for the boys to learn about and practise working with. I now have 75 horses, I started with 60 and have lost 9 since arriving. There are new gardens near the house, full of fruits and vegetables that you should recognise. Paintball, fishing, Earth music and storerooms full of musical instruments all brought from Earth. Whatever your interest, I likely have something that will suit.' Emily listed, stunning her companions with the list of stuff she'd brought. 'Obi-Wan left me with a cruiser just like the Negotiator and I loaded it with as much as I could before leaving Earth. From the animals to the instruments, right down to clothes and footwear in a variety of styles and sizes to suit.'

Adjusting her grip as the doors slid open again, Emily leant forward and scanned the area below them for the compound they would all call home now. Lifting over a small wooded area, she saw it and broke out into a smile, nudging Shane to get his attention.  
'There it is everyone, home.' she called, pointing to the white buildings rising up from the grass.  
'All that is yours?' Veronique asked, peering down at the buildings scattered across the plains.  
'That low stone wall marks the boundary of the land the Alderaan government gave me for this project. Even with over 2000 boys here, there is still plenty of space for everyone to be alone.' Emily nodded, drawing their gazes to a brightly painted stone wall in the distance.  
'I think they've noticed us Emily.' Aloysius remarked, watching the men on the ground start flocking towards the landing pads.  
'No, they've noticed a 212th gunship approaching. They don't know that that means just yet.' Emily replied, glad to see that her sons were hanging back from the landing pads until the mismatched pair was down safely.

Releasing her grip as the gunship touched down gently beside the Black Raven, Emily jumped down and waved for her friends to follow as she headed to greet her sons. She barely stepped off the duracrete pad before Fox was there in front of her, gently passing Angel into her arms and calming Slick with a gentle hand. Settling Angel against her chest and holding him close with her stronger right arm, Emily curled her left around Slick and pulled him close, reassuring him that no matter what happened, she would always come home.

Coming up beside Emily, Veronique very gently lifted Angel out of her embrace and cuddled him close to her own chest, singing softly in French as she lightly stroked his fine hair, rocking slowly to keep him calm. Shooting the shorter Frenchwoman a grateful smile, Emily turned her full attention to Slick, reassuring and calming him until he was feeling better about the situation. He was reacting better than she expected, calm and relaxed despite the group behind her.

Watching her sons for negative reactions, Emily guided her friends through the crowd to gather on the stairs leading into the main house, spreading the group out so her sons could see them all clearly. Handing Angel back to his mother, Veronique smiled as Emily thanked her properly, her French a little rusty but with practise, Emily knew they could make it work.  
'My sons, this morning I left on a dangerous mission to rescue some of my people, stolen from the other side of the rift that brought us together. Now I stand here, safely home from the mission against the Seppies and with my people around me once more. They will be staying here with us, joining with me to provide you with the lifestyle you deserve. I am not expecting you to be close to them straight away, take your time to get to know them and see what you can learn from each of them. Just as you have your own likes and interests, each of these people has their own unique skill set to share with you.' Emily announced, watching closely for any hints that her sons were not happy with this new arrangement.  
'What should we call them, buir?' Stone asked, hoisting another handicapped youngster into his arms so he could see too.  
'Either ba'vodu or by their names, the choice is yours. Some members of the 212th already know them as bavodu'e, others are more comfortable with names for now.' Emily replied, happy to see someone was thinking ahead. 'I'd like you all to meet Shane, Buck, Gena and her husband Ralph, Jean-Claude, Veronique, David, Aloysius and Rufus.'

Acknowledging their names as Emily spoke, her new companions had no idea what they were getting into but the warm welcome they got from the clones helped them realise that maybe this wouldn't be such a bad thing. Then one of the clones moved from his position, climbing the stairs as he reached into his pocket for something. Stopping in front of Gena, he pulled a simple necklace from his pocket, the attached stone sparkling randomly in the sunshine, reminiscent of opal but too big to be a real opal.  
'Welcome ba'vodu Gena. I'm called Fox.' he offered, holding out the necklace.  
'It's nice to meet you Fox.' Gena replied, reaching out to cradle the stone in her hand lightly.  
'I made this myself, I found the stone in the creek.' Fox explained, draping the leather thong over her fingers. 'I'd like you to have it.'  
'Thank you Fox, it's amazing. I'll treasure it always.' Gena nodded, undoing the toggle clasp and securing it around her neck. 'It's really beautiful.'  
'I'm glad you like it ba'vodu Gena.' Fox flushed, turning and heading back to join his brothers.  
'That was very nice of you Fox, I'm proud of you.' Emily praised, rocking Angel slowly when he started to whimper. 'Soon you will be free to get to know your new family members but for now, allow them some time to get settled in and used to the lifestyle here in our sanctuary from the war. Once I've got these good people settled in comfortably, I will be back to spend some quality time with you.'

Turning and heading inside with the group, Emily grinned and resettled Angel again, trying to calm him but he was in a sad mood and started crying as soon as they were inside. Turning to Veronique, Emily handed him over and scowled as his cries settled again and he snuggled close to her, listening as Veronique sang another little French song.  
'So, that's the way it's going to be now.' Emily sighed, shaking her head slowly. 'He wants a French momma instead.'  
'Do not take it personally Emily. He can probably tell you are tired and stressed.' Veronique replied, lightly rubbing Angel's back. I do not mind taking care of him for you, Emily.'  
'I'd appreciate that Veronique. It's a waiting game with him at the moment, his first surgery is soon but I don't know exactly when.' Emily nodded, just glad that she wouldn't have to pass Angel off to the nanny droids so much.  
'I will stay with Angel whenever he has to go for surgery. You have so many sons to care for, allow me to help with the burden.' Veronique offered, understanding now why Emily was so protective of her sons. Angel was totally dependant on others for everything.  
'Thank you Veronique, I would be most grateful if you did that. I didn't know how I'd balance his surgeries with my need to be here to care for and guide everyone else.' Emily agreed, knowing that she was putting a lot of trust in a woman she barely knew but she had to try. 'This way, I think you'll all be comfortable in the VIP section.'

#~#~^~#~#

Entering the large private sitting room that took up about a quarter of the fifth floor of the north wing, the nine new arrivals were stunned by what they found. Stepping into the room was like going back to Earth and walking into an ordinary home.

Couches were arranged near the fireplace, beautiful paintings and old photographs decorated the walls and tasteful ornaments gave the place that lived in feel. It was perhaps a little more upmarket than some were used to but overall it was understated and cosy.

Tucked in one corner, a small kitchenette allowed the group to cook their own meals if they wanted, a dining table providing a slightly more formal place to sit if they wanted to avoid the dining hall on the ground floor.

Leaning in the doorway, Emily waited for everyone to have a bit of a look around before drawing their attention back to her with a quiet little cough.  
'At each end of this main area, you'll notice another doorway. There are seven two-person rooms on each side, along with three bathrooms. You can sort out who will sleep where, feel free to use as many of the rooms as you wish. The evening meal will be served at 2000 hours, the dining room is on the ground floor, you can't miss it for the noise. The conservator should be fully stocked, if you don't wish to join us for the meal.' she explained, pushing off the doorjamb and rolling her shoulders.  
'That's all fine and good Emily but is there any chance of some new clothes? All we've got is what we're wearing now and it's getting a bit rough. Dooku wasn't exactly a gracious host.' Buck sighed, plucking at the thin shirt he was wearing.  
'Of course, I figured having a seamstress droid around was a helpful idea. There are always repairs to be made.' Emily nodded, walking over and tapping at the small comms panel on the wall. 'Libby, come down to the VIP quarters would you?'  
"I will be right there Mistress Emily."  
'You have a droid named Libby?' Shane asked, picking his jaw up at that new revelation.  
'Among others, yes. I have many droids here, each one named for someone I knew. Try not to be offended when you learn exactly where the droids named in your honour are, there were very few perfect fits.' Emily shrugged, wandering over to join the group.  
'Well go on, don't leave us in suspense.' Ralph pushed, curious to know just what Emily had come up with.  
'Gena works in the kitchen, washing dishes after each meal. Ralph is one of the maintenance droids, he roams around outside keeping the grass trimmed and picking up leaves and other debris. Shane and Buck are two of my favourite little LEP droids, I'm surprised one of them isn't here now to take my pistols and carbine back to my quarters.' Emily listed, watching the looks of surprise and disbelief as her friends came to terms with what they'd gotten.  
'Did we rate a droid?' Rufus asked, glancing at Aloysius with a shrug.  
'Oh yeah, you two rated droids of your own. Knight is my main cook droid, a pain in the ass with attitude but he does a good job with the mass catering. He's been reprogrammed a few times but he doesn't always do as he's told. Rufus is one of the cleaner droids you'll see around, you'll know him for the blaster burn along one side and the fact he has a programming glitch. I don't know how many times I've had to repair him after he goes flying off the stairs. That droid should have been an autopilot.' Emily smirked, getting a real kick out of the shocked looks on their faces. Obviously that wasn't what they expected.

Saved from any more awkward explanations by Libby's arrival, Emily turned to the rolling droid and nodded, satisfied with the cloth selection she was loaded with at the moment. Libby was a custom droid, specially built to suit Emily's needs for a trained seamstress to repair the common tears that her sons always seemed to get in their clothes. She was also a big help when Emily needed a new outfit for whatever reason.  
'Libby, these nine friends of mine need new clothes, they will be staying her permanently and have nothing suitable to wear. Start with three outfits each and continue to build wardrobes to their specifications until they are satisfied.' Emily instructed, indicating the group all staring at the multi-limbed droid with her sewing machine and bolts of cloth.  
'Of course, Mistress Emily.' Libby replied, her voice soft and sweet. 'Who will be going first?'  
'I guess I will.' Shane offered, approaching the droid warily.  
'Take her to one of the bedrooms Shane, unless you want everyone to see you in your underwear.' Emily warned, saving him from more embarrassment.  
'Right, this way Libby.' Shane nodded, heading for the far door.  
'Of course, Master Shane.' Libby agreed, rolling along behind him.  
'Sounds like ol' Toby has been spreading Intel again. Damned protocol droid doesn't know when to keep his observations quiet. He knows that I'm the lady of the house and heard that you are on the same footing so it's Master and Mistress all round.' Emily groaned, shaking her head slowly.  
'Oh joy, and just when I was adjusting to being an Uncle.' Aloysius muttered, wandering over to peer outside.  
'You don't have to face them straight away Aloysius. They will give you space if you ask, take some time to adjust to the idea then get into it. I have six speeders in a garage on the ground floor, feel free to borrow one and go hide up the back paddock for a while, you won't be disturbed up there.' Emily suggested, walking over to rest one hand on his shoulder.  
'I might do that Emily, thanks.' Aloysius nodded, struggling with his own demons but he knew he couldn't just run. The Separatists would be looking for them.  
'I understand Aloysius, this is a lot to take in. I can't do this without help though, whatever you can offer will be a boost.' Emily uttered, squeezing his shoulder lightly before heading for the door. 'I'll see you all later, I've got to get back to the boys.'

#~#~^~#~#

First to take the chance on what ever would happen, Jean-Claude emerged from the grand house in a simple pair of dark blue pants, a white t-shirt and his worn old boots. He'd made an effort to clean up but the barber droid had been busy so he still looked a mess but he was hoping the effort he did put in would be appreciated. He'd pulled his wild mop of hair back into a rough ponytail and, with some help from Veronique, plated up his beard to keep it out of the way.

Relishing the chance to really stretch his legs after so long cooped up on that Separatist cruiser, he took the time to just wander around the grounds, listening to the happy voices of so many young boys forced to grow up before their time. It was a constant babble, 2000 voices blending into one crazy noise that felt right.

Hearing a noise that he didn't like the sound of, Jean-Claude whipped around just in time to see the end result of a little accident. One of Emily's wounded sons had fallen, his chair tipped over on one side beside him. Breaking into an easy jog, Jean-Claude hurried to help him up, tipping the chair back upright before rolling the young boy over.  
'Are you alright, dear boy?' Jean-Claude asked, surprised when the clone reached up to touch his throat, a question in his eyes. 'Are you alright?'

Nodding slowly, the clone reached into the small pouch slung across his chest, pulling out a datapad and stylus. Writing something out, he turned the datapad to Jean-Claude, trying to explain his situation. Accepting the 'pad, Jean-Claude read what he'd written, eyes widening as he got to know this particular clone and his daily struggles. Not only was he paralysed after a battlefield injury, he was totally deaf as well.

Delving back into his memory, Jean-Claude tried to recall the sign language he'd learnt as a boy. He didn't know if Crosshairs would understand but it was worth a try. Helping Crosshairs back into his chair, Jean-Claude settled in front of him and signed a shaky greeting, hoping it was right. Crosshairs watched his hands closely, head tilted to the side as Jean-Claude repeated the greeting, confidence growing. Smiling softly, Crosshairs repeated the gesture and asked what it meant with an upraised eyebrow. Reaching out and plucking the stylus from behind Crosshairs' ear, Jean-Claude wrote his explanation on the datapad, taking care to keep his words legible.

Reading the rough scrawl, Crosshairs nodded and broke out into a huge grin, motioning for Jean-Claude to repeat the gesture again. Returning the smile, Jean-Claude did as requested, still trying to remember any more signs from his past. Repeating the sign, Crosshairs frowned, motioning for another show from Jean-Claude. Slowing his hands right down, Jean-Claude went through it again, letting Crosshairs see the form clearly. Mimicking what he'd seen, Crosshairs smiled again, finally matching the sign perfectly.

Recalling another sign he'd learnt, Jean-Claude wrote out the meaning and gave Crosshairs a moment to think about that before he showed the younger man. Watching closely, Crosshairs replicated the signs, eyes lighting up as he got the hang of the new signs. Jean-Claude couldn't help but smile as he watched the youngster practise with the new signs, just getting a really good feel for them.

Tapping Jean-Claude's hand, Crosshairs beckoned to him then used two fingers of his right hand to walk on the palm of his left. Nodding his understanding, Jean-Claude stood and followed Crosshairs across the grass, watching how he controlled his hoverchair with a small panel under his left hand. Looking up at Jean-Claude, Crosshairs offered his right hand to the older man, his eyes saying so much as Jean-Claude lightly took his hand and went wherever he was being shown.

Around to the western side of the house and into the small house there, Crosshairs led him to one of several identical doors and reached out to swipe his hand over the controls on the left side. The door slid aside and Crosshairs motioned for Jean-Claude to enter, making a sign that Jean-Claude didn't understand. He drew a square with two fingers, then a triangle over the top. Crossing the threshold, the meaning became clear. Turning back to Crosshairs, Jean-Claude repeated the sign and nodded, acknowledging that he recognised this room as Crosshairs' private room, his home within the compound.

Crossing the room, Crosshairs grabbed another datapad from his desk and clicked it on before handing it to Jean-Claude, a new spark in his expressive brown eyes. Accepting the datapad, Jean-Claude had to smile at what Crosshairs had handed him. The screen was filled with diagrams for dozens of signs, the meanings written underneath. Holding out a second datapad, Crosshairs nodded and waited for Jean-Claude to get the idea.

Reading the neatly written message on the second datapad, Jean-Claude scrolled down the page of signs until he found the one he wanted. Watching the diagram move through the sign a couple of times, he looked Crosshairs in the eye and gave it a go, he was a little shaky but the meaning was clear. Smiling proudly, Crosshairs tucked his communication datapad away and left the room, waiting for Jean-Claude to catch up again. Training 'pad in hand, Jean-Claude followed him back out into the sunshine, perfectly content to watch and learn from such an innocent young soldier.

#~#~^~#~#

Thinking about what Emily had said, Shane left the house and headed towards the other large building he'd noticed, off to the west beyond the main living area. Entering the building, he was immediately taken back to his childhood, the smells and sounds so familiar even after years apart. Wandering among the stalls, he looked closer, noticing the names and ratings on each door. Picking a three-star, he approached the door and peered inside, smiling at the beauty he found waiting for someone to take her out.

A stately Quarter Horse, with white socks and a little white star between her eyes, she was a beautiful horse. She came when Shane clicked his tongue, reaching out with a closed fist to say hello. Sniffing at him, she came even closer, sticking her head over the door for pats and attention. Shane was only too happy to oblige, rubbing her neck and plucking straw out of her mane deftly.  
'Thought I might find you in here.' Emily remarked, leading a small group of her sons inside, each one with a fine horse of his own.  
'You know me too well Emily, born and bred in the country.' Shane nodded, most of his attention still on his new friend.  
'It's nice to see Dancer has accepted you, she's been a little off colour lately.' Emily mused, calming the big black stallion at her side. 'Easy Diablo, easy boy.'  
'Mind if I take her out? It's been years since I had time to ride.' Shane asked, amazed by how well Dancer had taken to him.  
'So long as you stick to the rules that everyone follows with the horses, I don't mind when you take her out. The rules are simple enough, no one rides alone and every ride is marked on the sheets in the office. It helps to make sure no particular horse is getting ridden too much while another is forgotten about.' Emily nodded, tying Diablo up outside his stall and starting to remove his tack.  
'I'll go with him buir, I can take Gypsy out for a ride.' someone offered, untacking the black mare he'd just come in with.  
'A wise choice, Stitch. I'll wash Shadow so you can go.' Emily nodded, putting Diablo back in his stall and turning to Shane. 'Could you help Trapper and Mink with her tack, he's still learning.'  
'Sure, as soon as I figure it out.' Shane grinned, watching the boys for a moment. 'Trapper?'  
'Down here ba'vodu.' one young man replied, standing next to a beautiful palomino.

Working from memory, Shane quickly helped Trapper with the tack, guiding the younger man with the saddle before removing her bridle and guiding Mink back into her stall. Easily holding the saddle and blanket, Trapper led Shane to the tack rooms and returned Mink's tack to the racks before Trapper showed him where Dancer's gear was kept. Gathering it all up with practised ease, Shane wandered back down to where Dancer was waiting for him.

Setting her saddle and blanket on the stand just outside the stable and working her bridle on as she stood there for him, Shane grinned and opened the door, leading her out to stand by his side. She was beautifully behaved, standing still and calm as he tied her and settled her saddle blanket into place, constantly touching her so she knew where he was. Hefting the saddle into position without startling her, he got the girth buckled securely, tapping her in the ribs before yanking it a little tighter so he couldn't slip.

A quick check of her hooves and he untied her, hands firm yet gentle on the reins as he led her outside onto the grass. Calming her with a soft voice, he bounded up into the saddle and got comfortable, leaning down to adjust his stirrups and find his seat. Touching her sides with his heels gently, he coaxed her into a walk, staying right near the stable as he got used to the way she moved.

Within minutes, Stitch was outside with them, mounted on a fine appaloosa mare, relaxed and in tune with his new mount. Guiding Dancer back around, Shane nodded and accepted the helmet Stitch held out for him, buckling it securely into place.  
'Buir suggested we take the trail to the lake and back, Dancer loves going out that way.' Stitch offered, turning his horse to the north.  
'Lead the way Stitch.' Shane nodded, tapping Dancer into a walk, enjoying the chance to reconnect with his childhood.  
'ba'vodu, just how much do you know about horse riding?' Stitch asked, letting Gypsy take her time with the walk.  
'I used to ride every day, took my horse to shows all throughout the region. But it's been at least 20 years since I last rode seriously. Why do you ask, Stitch?' Shane replied, finding his old abilities and relaxing in the saddle.  
'If we walk to the lake, there won't be time for the horses to enjoy the water before we have to come back again if we're going to be home before dark.' Stitch explained, leading the way through the woods.  
'Trot or canter?' Shane asked, ready to signal Dancer either way.  
'Canter, the horses get to enjoy the water for a little while and we'll still make it home before dark.' Stitch nodded, tapping Gypsy and letting her really open up and canter through the woods.  
'Right behind you Stitch.' Shane laughed, nudging Dancer up through a trot and racing after his young companion.

#~#~^~#~#

Perfectly content to just relax in the sun with Ralph, Gena idly toyed with the stone Fox had given her, fairly sure there was no ulterior motive but she couldn't be absolutely sure. For now though, thoughts of young men that shouldn't be fighting were too depressing to think about. They had survived two years are prisoners of war, a war they didn't really understand but the idea stood. She was used to putting her life on the line, it came with being a Marine but Ralph, he wasn't supposed to have to face those sorts of issues.

Looking down when a well loved football bounced to a stop in front of them, Gena got up and grabbed it, flipping it over in her hand as she waited to see who would come forward. Sure enough, four of the boys came looking for the ball, ribbing Ponds for throwing it so hard.  
'Go long boys!' Gena called, lining up on them and bringing the ball back. Spreading out and backing up, they waited for her to throw it back, everyone ready for the catch.

Putting her own curve on the game, she brought the ball back in close and ran towards them, wondering if they were game to try and stop her to regain their ball. Catching onto her idea and swapping looks, the quartet broke out running, coming towards her as one. Right hand coming up, Gena fended off the first one but the other three managed to drag her to the ground, their combined weight and strength enough to keep her down.

Struggling to get a few inches off the ground, Gena shoved the ball out of the scrum and waited a moment for the weight to ease off before bounding to her feet and whipping around, looking to see who had it. Toes digging in, she raced after the bald one with the ball, weaving among the other boys playing.

Gena needn't have worried too much about regaining possession, Ralph came flying in from the right and tackled the runner, driving them both into the dirt. Relaxing his grip and sitting up, Ralph accepted the ball and checked the younger man over, making sure he wasn't hurt.  
'Now that was a tackle Ralph.' Gena grinned, hauling him onto his feet.  
'You okay Stone?' one of the other clones asked, brushing his black hair out of his eyes.  
'Yeah Race, I'm okay. No harm done.' Stone nodded, accepting the helping hand up. 'You really hit hard, ba'vodu Ralph.'  
'Sorry about that. I'll be more careful next time.' Ralph offered, checking Stone over again.  
'It's fine, ba'vodu Ralph. We're bred to be tough, we can handle the hard hits.' Stone shrugged, accepting the ball back.  
'Shall we play three-on-three?' Ponds asked, snagging the ball from his brother. 'Ba'vodu Ralph, Stone and Thire against ba'vodu Gena, Race and I.'  
'Sounds like a plan.' Thire nodded, trying to grab the ball.  
'Probably should move away from the house a bit first.' Gena shrugged, hooking the ball and holding it close.  
'There's an open field around behind those trees. We were playing there until Ponds threw the ball too hard.' Race suggested, pointing behind the group.  
'Alright, we'll go play over there.' Gena nodded, putting the boot to the ball and sending the boys scrambling to grab it. 'Whoever catches it starts the game!'

Watching the quartet run after the ball, Gena grinned and drew Ralph close, finding it so comfortable and almost familiar to intermingle their happily married life with young men that were so childish when they weren't busy fighting for their lives.  
'Well, it's not the family we used to dream of but it's a pretty close second.' Ralph commented, all too happy to walk with his wife.  
'At our age, this is the closest we're going to get to the family we dreamed of back then.' Gena shrugged, swinging out to the left and sending a soccer ball rocketing back towards another group of boys playing happily.

#~#~^~#~#

Subtly watching over the massed family as they settled and shared the evening meal, Emily had to smile at what she could see was going on. Scattered throughout the dining room, her people were sharing freely with the clones, laughing and having a great time connecting with the young boys. Well, most of her friends were opening up to the clones, Aloysius hadn't made an appearance since they arrived back in the compound. Emily could only hope he'd open up eventually.

Shane was lost in conversation with Stitch, the pair still stinking of horse but no one really seemed to mind. They planned a few other trail rides together, Stitch making other suggestions of horses that Shane might enjoy riding and Shane offering Stitch a few tips to help him become an even more confident rider.

Gena and Ralph were happily joking around with the boys they'd played a rousing game of football with, talking about the game and planning another for the next day. The group suggested a few others games they could share before they had to move on, mentioning paintball, wrestling and bicycle riding as possible ideas.

Buck was sandwiched between Reaper and Torque, the trio discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the various Republic weapons. Most of the terminology went over Buck's head but his new companions were patient with him, explaining the technology and promising to take him down to the range the next day.

Veronique was particularly busy, Angel propped up on her lap eating from her fingers as she enjoyed her own meal with her right hand and talked with the group gathered around her. They were older hands with the letting go, showing no interest in discussing their duties. Instead, they listened to the stories Veronique told, soaking up the attention eagerly.

Jean-Claude was just as busy, surrounded by clones that were fascinated by his accent and speech pattern, possibly learning so they could be more like him. Jean-Claude didn't mind, he was flattered that so many boys were interested in being like him, spreading his presence through the ranks in the only way they could. 

David was in one corner, surrounded by some of the brightest minds in the Coruscant Guard, technology experts all of them, happily learning from them as much as he was teaching them. With David around to lead some of the tech classes, more boys would hopefully head towards hacking and sneaking around in Separatist computer systems.

Rufus had gathered several of the Coruscant Guard pilots around him, telling them stories of his flights and listening intently to their own airborne stories. Offering tips and helping them to understand the connection between pilot and craft, Rufus promised to be there to help them if they asked him.

Turning back to her meal, Emily's attention was caught by a flash of something black at the entrance to the dining hall. Making it clear to the cleanup droids that she was coming back to finish her meal, Emily left the table, weaving through the crowd and motioning for her boys to continue as if nothing was going on.

Slipping from the dining hall, she wasn't that surprised to find Aloysius slumped against the wall, hands shoved in his pockets in a vain attempt to hide the way they were shaking. Head down and one foot planted against the wall, he was trying to seem nonchalant but Emily saw right through him.  
'You don't have to do this right now, Aloysius. No one is pushing you to face this.' she offered, moving to stand beside him. 'You can take all the time you need.'  
'If I don't face it now, I'll never have the guts to face it. You know my story, everything I've lost just to survive…it's hard you know.' Aloysius nodded, lifting his gaze to look at Emily sadly.  
'I know, I look around and I see the life I could have had on Earth. But this is a chance for us to start over with a clean slate.' Emily sighed, trying not to think about all the mistakes in her life.  
'That's different and you know it. I remember the mark in your hunting file about Aaron. He died before you two were ever married. I lost my wife and my baby, I don't even know if it was a boy or girl. Mel wanted to surprise me when I came home.' Aloysius growled, fresh pain tainting his words. 'I still don't know which.'

Hanging her head, Emily nodded slowly and reached out to drape one arm around Aloysius' shoulders, drawing him closer to her side.  
'Okay, I deserved that one. This isn't easy for any of us, we have all lost people that we cared about so much. Be those losses because of death in all forms or the rift closing, we have all been forced to say goodbye. Friends, families, comrades and workmates, we have all been torn from people who loved us and we loved in return. But this place gives us a chance to heal, to pass the memories of our loved ones onto others so their names can live forever. Whether the name is given to a service droid in the house, one of the boys out on the front lines or something even more permanent, the memories live on through them. Jedi Master Plo Koon renamed his flagship Chicago at the request of my sons. That not only stirs my memories but also reawakens their memories of the 18 months the first 28 spent on Earth.' Emily explained, trying to get through to Aloysius.  
'Somehow I doubt the Jedi would rename a cruiser Nomad.' Aloysius scoffed, shaking his head slowly in disbelief.  
'No, but they likely will name one Philadelphia.' Emily smirked, laughing at the look of shock on Knight's face. 'Or perhaps Houston, I'm sure Rufus would like that.'  
'How did you know that? You're not supposed to know those details.' Aloysius hissed, stunned that Emily knew his birthplace and Rufus' too.  
'You'd be surprised by what I know about you two. But those details aren't important now. Right now, you have a choice to make. Are you going to cower upstairs or are you ready to face the family at last?' Emily shrugged, planning on having a quiet talk with Rufus and Aloysius later where she could put it all out on the table.  
'I'll give it a shot Emily, I'm just…this is way beyond what I'm used to doing.' Aloysius sighed, hanging his head again.  
'It's okay, I'll be right here beside you. Come on, you stick beside me and we'll get through this together. I was scared the first time too, it's okay.' Emily soothed, offering her hand in friendship and support. 'They just want to learn from you, whatever you can teach them that isn't violent.'  
'Alright, I'll give it a go. I just don't want to screw this up.' Aloysius nodded, taking her hand.  
'That's the best thing about my sons, they'll forgive any mistake you make. I've made mistakes but by the end of a rotation, it's all forgiven and we move on again.' Emily grinned, drawing Aloysius off the wall and back towards the dining hall. 'Just relax, this is the easy part. Tomorrow will be harder, you'll have to try and keep up with them all day.'  
'We are going to have to talk later, about just what else you know. 'Aloysius sighed, shoving his concerns aside and letting Emily guide him into the dining hall.

Motioning for her sons to stay back and take things slowly, Emily guided Aloysius through the dining hall and up to the servery, staying beside him as he found something tempting to eat. Rather than disturb the group sitting around Rufus, Emily led Aloysius to sit beside her, able to watch the massed group but not right in the thick of the group. Slowly starting to relax, Aloysius watched the clones going about their usual routine, returning the few timid smiles and waves he was given by the boys still adjusting to his presence.  
'That's it, just relax and they'll accept you.' Emily uttered, going back to her meal, unconcerned that it was now cold.

#~#~^~#~#

Bedtime stories read and everyone tucked away in their beds, Emily poked her head into the VIP quarters and asked for Aloysius and Rufus to join her for a private conversation. Swapping confused and concerned looks, they left their cosy place on the couch and filed out of the room, following Emily upstairs and into her private sanctum.

Motioning for them to settle on her big leather sofa as she went and retrieved a large stack of paper, carrying it all over and depositing the great wad on the coffee table. Settling on the other couch, Emily quickly sorted out the massive pile into dozens of smaller files, each one tied with string and tagged with a strange series of glyphs.

Scanning the piles of paper quickly, Emily nodded and snapped her gaze to the waiting pair, reading their confusion and concern about what all of this meant. Shifting back on the couch, Emily waited for them to get over the sheer amount of paper before she spoke.  
'We haven't always had a civil relationship, from day one of our combative relationship we were at each other's throats nearly constantly. As a result of that constant aggression between us, I spent a lot of my downtime digging around to see just what dirt I might turn up that could be of use against you two. This is the results of five years of hard work, everything that I could dig up on you both, going back deep into your pasts.' she explained, indicating the piles of paper across the table.  
'All this just on us? You really did go in deep.' Rufus mused, scanning the documents quickly, just to see what Emily had. 'But why are you showing us all of this now?'  
'to come clean about what I know, clean the slate between us and move forward into a new life as friends, or at least as close to friendly as old rivals like us can get.' Emily shrugged, glancing towards the merrily blazing fire. 'Bundle by bundle, we'll go through this and destroy it so no one else can ever know what I know.'  
'Just how far back did you end up going?' Aloysius asked, wondering if there was anything of interest in the mass of documents.

Picking up a particularly thick file and pulling the string off, Emily lifted the top stapled document and held it out to Rufus. There was little chance he remembered this moment in his life, but she had to be careful.  
'This was the earliest mention of you apart from his birth record. Aged just 3 months old, you were the lone survivor of a car accident that claimed the lives of your parents and three older siblings, two girls and a boy.' she offered, watching Rufus for a reaction.  
'I always knew I hadn't just been abandoned. I never knew why, I just knew. I never suspected to look into road accidents when I was just a baby.' Rufus mused, flipping through the collated reports on the scene that had torn him from his family.  
'Why would you keep something like that Emily?' Aloysius asked, looking at the file as well.  
'Originally, I planned to leave it where you would find it as a distraction but I never found the right time to use it.' Emily confessed, releasing a photo from another bundle of pages. 'This is the only known photo of your family as a whole before the accident. Parents Andrew and Rachael, older siblings Kate, Donald and Sarah.'

Accepting the photo, Rufus gazed at it sadly, thumb tracing over the faces of people that obviously loved him but he'd never had a chance to know them.  
'If you don't mind Emily, I'd like to hang onto the documents relating to the accident. I deserve to know the full story of what happened to everyone in my family.' he uttered, dragging his eyes away from the happy photo.  
'I thought you might. It's all here, from the first responders to the coroner and on through the court case and the sentencing of the man that left you an orphan at such a tender age.' Emily nodded, handing over the full pile but she kept one photo. 'I'm not sure about this one image, it's graphic and I'm concerned how it will effect you.'  
'What's it of?' Rufus asked, accepting the length of string and tying the bundle of papers up until he had time to sit and read it all.  
'It's a photo of you, taken minutes after you were pulled from the wreckage by a young police officer, just two weeks on the job.' Emily replied, keeping photo turned away from Rufus as she checked the notation on the back.  
'I can handle it, Emily.' Rufus promised, holding his hand out for the image. Glancing at Aloysius, Emily handed the picture over and waited for the reaction.

Eyes blowing wide, Rufus gazed at his baby self, a once blue onesie stained vibrant red. His skin and fine hair was also covered in blood, a marker of the grizzly scene he'd somehow survived. The young male officer holding him looked frazzled, covered in blood but trying to protect the baby in his arms if the frozen flashing lights in the background were anything to go by.   
'I remember this officer, not his name but his face and voice. Melodies in my ear, the words are gone now but I remember him.' Rufus uttered, tucking the photo under the string where it would be safe for now. 'Do you suppose he's named in here somewhere?'  
'He's in there somewhere, I can't remember exactly where now but he's named in the file.' Emily nodded, glad to see that Rufus was accepting of the truth in this matter.

Picking up another particularly thick file, Emily yanked the string clear and handed a single page to Aloysius, giving him a chance to read it before she threw it out there for Rufus to know as well. These were sensitive topics, there was a chance neither wanted the other to know these parts of their histories.  
'Like Rufus, these were the first mentions of you, Aloysius, apart from your birth certificate. Your first day of school, the other students were so cruel to you and always were until the day you graduated. These documents were very hard to find, your old schools did a good job of erasing their files but the other organisations involved weren't so diligent.' Emily sighed, treading softly with Aloysius on such a delicate issue.  
'Yeah, I remember what it was like. Wasn't an hour that went by when someone wasn't having a dig because I was so different. The teachers were no help, they didn't believe it was a real condition. Even after I showed them several medical certificates and asked my specialist to talk to them, the staff still didn't fully believe it.' Aloysius nodded, flipping through the reports on his daily visits to see the school nurse and the police reports when his parents had tried to protect him from the bullies.  
'You were bullied as a kid?' Rufus asked, stunned by the revelation. 'Well that explains a few things about you.'  
'The kids were merciless back then, it was a game to them to see who could break me down each day. It took me awhile but I eventually realised that I was the only one that would protect me from harm. After I realised that, I got more reports for being a bully but I didn't care. No one else ever celebrated my tears.' Aloysius shrugged, setting the pile down on the floor. 'Those were rough times but they made me who I am.'  
'When you're done with them, toss them in the fire. I don't need them anymore.' Emily guided, settling back and letting Aloysius go back through the bad memories one more time.

#~#~^~#~#

It was just after midnight when the last pile - autopsy reports for Aloysius' wife and baby boy - were tossed into the fire, hungry flames licking over the documents and photos until there was nothing left but a large pile of ashes and the precious files Rufus had chosen to keep for now. Stirring the ashes to make sure everything was properly destroyed, Emily tapped the signal button beside the fireplace, sending an alert to one of the collector droids to come and empty the ashes from her fireplace once it had cooled a bit more.

Stretching wide, she turned back to her old competitors and smiled faintly, considering what to do next. Crossing the room, she opened the linen cupboard and pulled out two spare pillows and a couple of extra blankets, carrying them all over to the couches and dumping it on the vacant one. That got her a strange look from the pair, a mix of confusion and disbelief.  
'Consider this a fresh start, we have to be a strong family unit for the clones that come here to taste their childhood. It's late, you can stay here tonight, rather than risk waking anyone downstairs. Consider it one final display of trust, old enemies sleeping in the same room without getting into any fights.' she offered, determined that her sons would never know the truth about her connection to Aloysius and Rufus.  
'Thanks Emily, I'm too tired to consider navigating back to our room.' Aloysius nodded, easing to his feet and sorting out the bedding.  
'I knew there was something between you two, I just couldn't prove it.' Emily chuckled, disappearing into her walk-in wardrobe to change into her pyjamas. 'Nice to have confirmation on that one.'  
'We'll try and keep that one on the down low from the youngsters.' Rufus promised, yanking his boots off and setting them close to hand.  
'No real point in that, there are plenty of gays in the ranks. They could probably use some guidance on their relationships, none of them really know what they're doing. I'm not saying teach them everything, just be aware and help where you can.' Emily replied, perching on the end of her bed to release her hair and comb it out.

Smiling softly as Romus and Remus came in through the smaller automatic door, Emily refolded the blanket at the foot of her bed and lightly stroked their backs, fully aware that Aloysius was staring at them.  
'They won't hurt you, Aloysius. Like us, they're retired from the hunting now. They've taken to leading the dog pack here on Alderaan, finding new joy in playing with my sons and the ever growing pack.' Emily grinned, settling her beloved dogs and making sure their aging bodies were properly supported.  
'So long as they aren't going to start making snacks out of us.' Aloysius nodded, getting comfortable and drawing the borrowed blanket close.  
'Come near my bed and you might not be so safe. These two are still fiercely protective of my safety.' Emily warned, climbing into bed and snuggling down. 'Bathroom is the second door over along the wall to the right.'  
'Thanks Emily. Goodnight.' Rufus yawned, rolling over and getting comfortable.  
'Night Emily, sleep well.' Aloysius added, glasses safe in his hand as he curled up contentedly.  
'Peaceful dreams guys.' Emily uttered, switching off the lights and drifting off to sleep.


	20. Big Ideas

Three years since arriving, one year since one parental figure became ten, Emily gathered her friends together one night after the younger cadets had gone to bed. She had a big idea but without their full support, the plan would fall apart before it even got off the ground. She could only pray that her grand scheme wouldn't have them running for the hills. She knew her sons would go for it, they were always eager to make her smile and to share their talents with anyone that was interested so doing this would be a big thrill for them.

Several datapads in hand, Emily joined the group on the couches in front of the fire, reaching out to set the datapads on the coffee table as she waited for everyone to get settled and turn their attention to her.  
'Over the last year, you have made a big difference in a lot of lives. Each bringing their own unique skills and talents to the table, we have created a truly wonderful home for these young men that shouldn't be fighting or dying so quickly. But as you all know, caring for so many comes with a great burden. Funding the construction projects, food, entertainment and other facts of life here is a daily challenge, we're spending more than donations are bringing in to this project.' she opened, looking around the gathering slowly.  
'There have been shortcuts. A lot of the tack is getting worn, we need to replace it soon or no one will be able to ride anymore.' Shane nodded, thinking about the damaged tack that had already cut his class numbers from 25 down to 17.  
'I have a plan to bolster our donations account. It's a risky plan, a lot could go wrong but if we pull this off, the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility will become even more well known across the galaxy and we should have a lot more donations pouring in from the average people. It's a case of getting our true purpose out there.' Emily continued, rolling her shoulders to ease the building tension from another hard day entertaining so many clones.  
'What's your grand plan?' Gena asked, hoping that this plan would put an end to the challenges of balancing the needs of the facility and the clones against the credits available.

Getting to her feet again, Emily handed around the datapads on the coffee table and moved to lean against the mantle, rubbing at her right hip where she'd connected with Jean-Claude during a rough game of football earlier.  
'What is all this, Emily? You've created great long lists of boys, sorted by their best talents but what's the plan?' Buck asked, scrolling through the lists of young clones.  
'A big gala, held here on Alderaan. Either right here at the compound so our guests can see just how much work we are putting into giving the clones a real home and childhood or we have it in Aldera, the capital city. Everyone that has ever donated will be invited to attend and the entire thing will be broadcast on the holonet so those that can't make the trip or aren't invited can see it as well. A musical extravaganza, dance recital, theatre show and whatever else we can put together all rolled into one big show to make the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility the talk of the galaxy. Sone of the most artistic boys can put their best works up for auction to raise more, I know of a few people that would love to have an original piece by Sketch or Hevy and are willing to pay big to get one.' Emily explained, truly excited by the idea of really stirring up interest in what they were doing.  
'They aren't ready for a public display Emily. If I had six months straight to work with the most talented ones in my classes, I might be able to get them up to standard but there's no way the Jedi would let them go for that long at one time.' Aloysius retorted, bringing up the list he was most interested in. 'as they are now, I've got three that are good enough for public display.'  
'once word gets out that only the best will be chosen to take part in the gala event, you will all notice vast improvements in all of the boys as they vie to be part of something so amazing. They will all want to be a part of the gala, not only to bring more recognition to their brothers but also to make us even prouder of them.' Emily corrected, confident that her sons would rise to the challenge quickly and there would be an abundance of choices.  
'What about those who do not have a talent for the arts in any form? Chopper is a talented young man but his abilities are not so easily shown at a gala.' Veronique asked, her words encompassing many of the boys, not just Chopper and the other cooks.  
'to continue with your example, Veronique, Chopper is also a talented singer and has been working with Toby the Great Dane, teaching him tricks from a book he found in the library. I also estimate that with the assistance of the cooking droids here at the compound, the best ten cooks in the GAR could produce enough food to feed 15,000 people, more than enough for the gala.' Emily replied, remembering how well Chopper worked with the big dog.

Thinking about how his own students were going, Rufus nodded slowly, absently drumming his fingers against the datapad. He couldn't help it, ever since he'd first started working with the clones; his natural rhythm was always coming out, begging to be shared with anyone and everyone that would listen.  
'With what's available in the storerooms and the boys I've been working with, I can probably organise a 24 strong drum corps. Shouldn't be too hard to teach them what I remember of the old US Army drummers, the trick will be if they can put it all together and drill in rhythm.' he mused, already picking out a few boys that would present nicely if they could just get their rhythm to smooth out.  
'Okay, now we're getting somewhere. Shane, on the provision that the old tack is still in good repair, is Thunder up to bearing the big kettle drums like he did for a few years.' Emily nodded, bringing up a fresh document and starting to make notes. 'And before you ask, yes I do have the proper solid silver kettle drums.'  
'The last time I checked Thunder over; he was doing fine for a horse of his age. But I'd lean more towards Trigger; he's just as strong and has a little more strut to his walk, perfect for a drummer horse. Thunder's getting a bit past all the fuss of a big parade.' Shane offered, thinking about the stately young Clydesdale that had come to Alderaan as a young foal with his mother Drifter.  
'Trigger isn't trained to behave with the big drums in his ears, you'd have to desensitise him to the noise and fuss. Thunder's already been trained; he'll do what has to be done, even with a novice rider on his back. Plus the fact Trigger is smaller than Thunder, the tack would require serious adjustments if it could be made to fit him at all. And of course, can Trigger carry the weight?' Emily countered, juggling time and supplies.  
'I'll give Thunder another look over tomorrow. If he's still got a spring in his step and doesn't flinch at a big noise, I'll tack him up and see how he goes with the weight. But just who do you suppose will ride him and play the big drums? You need someone with superior equestrian skills to keep him steady without missing a beat.' Shane nodded, turning it over carefully in his mind. 'I have plenty of talented equestrians available but I don't know how many can carry the beat of a drum corps.'  
'You'll have to nut that one out with Rufus. Between the two of you, there should be an obvious candidate or two. We'll have to test them out and see just who works best with what we've got available.' Emily directed, starting to see the spark of an idea carrying to all her friends.

Thinking it over carefully, the rest of the group started coming up with ideas of their own; combining the talents they knew existed among the clones to create a truly amazing array of display options. From formal musical pieces to random buskers on street corners, short theatre performances with full mechanical and special effects, dance recitals and an arts and crafts auction. There were also plans made for individual displays of horsemanship and various musical talents, driving demonstrations and working dog activities. Now it was a case of pulling it all together to make their dreams a reality.

#~#~^~#~#

Working Thunder on the long rope, Shane watched him move through his trot and up into a canter, his heavy body still holding onto the grace and dignity that Clydesdales were well known for. Despite his advanced age, there was little doubt in Shane's mind that Thunder was still capable of bearing the load and getting through the drumming displays asked of him.

Easing Thunder back to a stop and coiling up the long rope, Shane led him back inside and secured him to one of the hitching posts before heading to collect the third set of tack connected to the fine Clydesdale. He was amazing under saddle and pulled the carts proudly but this would be the first time in years that he'd carried the heavy drums.

Bringing out the heavy tack, Shane kept talking to Thunder softly as he settled the ornate tack into place, following the instructions Emily had given on how it all fitted together. Calming Thunder when he got excited about what the particular pattern of tack meant for him, Shane coaxed the big horse to lower his head so the richly decorated bridle could be easily slipped into place and positioned properly.

With Thunder all tacked up and ready to ride, Shane guided him outside and used the corral fence to help him get up onto the big old horse. Settling in the saddle, Shane gripped as best he could without shortening the stirrups and turned Thunder back towards the house, letting him take his time and get a feel for the old tack again.

Waiting on the front steps of the house, Aloysius, Buck, Baba and Rufus stood guard around two solid steel crates, the contents protected by numerous layers of cloth and padding. Rufus wasn't exactly sure this was a good idea, he wasn't much for horses but Emily had promised him that Thunder wasn't the kind to suddenly bolt if he was upset by anything. Besides, Shane would be there to calm Thunder if the drums did upset the grand horse.

Stopping Thunder at the bottom of the stairs, Shane slid off and moved to hold the secondary reins, patting Thunder's broad neck as Rufus approached and mounted up, careful of the attachment brackets poking out on both sides.  
'Easy Thunder, easy now.' Shane soothed, looking up at Rufus with a grin. 'Just relax Rufus; you're wound way too tight.'  
'Easy for you to say. First time on a horse and all.' Rufus shrugged, trying to relax as Shane lengthened the stirrups and helped him get settled properly.  
'It shows. Just relax, let your shoulders drop and enjoy this. Thunder's picking up on your nerves and it's not doing him any favours.' Shane nodded, making sure the foot reins were at the proper length and calming Thunder. 'Alright, let's give this a go. Remember, you've got to get both on at once or Thunder really will get upset.'

Bringing the crates down to the grass, Buck and Aloysius carefully lifted the right side one as Baba hefted the left one on his own, both coming up and settling into the cradles attached to the saddle. Thunder twitched under the weight, unused to it after so long but he stayed still, giving the group time to lock the drums into place and check they were balanced.

Accepting the drumsticks that had been secured inside one of the crates, Rufus waited for the empty crates to be moved and for Shane to get a proper grip on the secondary reins. Twirling the sticks in his fingers for a moment, Rufus set up a steady beat, not trying for anything fancy, just a nice steady bass beat that would work for a parade. Tossing his head, Thunder tried to get moving but Shane held him back, glancing up at Rufus to make sure he was comfortable and happy with the situation.

Keeping Thunder back from a full parade trot, Shane let him walk it out, keeping one hand on the secondary reins so he was less likely to bolt. Thunder showed no interest in taking off though; he was content to plod along with his drums, head held high and proud. Relaxing into the temporary partnership, Rufus altered his rhythm, the sticks blurring in his hands as his beat rang out across the compound.

Circling back around, Shane once more held Thunder steady as the drums were lifted off and retuned to their crates and Rufus dismounted with a little wobble.  
'Well, old timer. I think it's a safe bet that you're going to be part of the parade.' Shane grinned, patting Thunder's neck again.  
'Emily was right. He is a good horse, ol' Thunder. We still have to find the right clone to ride him though.' Rufus nodded, quite pleased with how Thunder had behaved.  
'It's not going to be easy finding the right partner for him, that's for sure. Not only do they have to be an exceptional drummer to carry the main bass of the Drum Corps but they have to be an amazing horseman to control Thunder without hands on the reins.' Shane agreed, draping the secondary reins over his shoulder. 'You had it easy, I kept Thunder to hand. But whoever gets this part has to learn how to control him via the reins attached to the stirrups. Now that will be a challenge for any of the good horsemen available.'  
'We've got some thinking to do on that one.' Rufus sighed, glancing back at the big drums. 'We'll need new covers for the drums, something that sings of the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility.'  
'That's a job for Emily; she said she'd handle the finery.' Shane replied, clicking his tongue and leading Thunder back towards the stable.

#~#~^~#~#

Approaching the Queen of Alderaan with their plan, Emily was surprised when permission was given within the hour. Not only that but they were given access to any building they wanted to make use of for their gala event. Emily picked out a few that would be useful and also asked that the grand park be made available. This request was also granted full approval, giving them a suitable place for the equestrian displays. The date was set for nine months ahead, plenty of time to organise the clones needed and practise everything until it was perfect.

The original lists of potential performers were whittled down as well, each of the parental figures focusing on their specific areas to get the best possible groups from across the galaxy. Messages were sent to the chosen clones, instructing them to return to Alderaan for intensive, special training. The Jedi were notified of the plan so they weren't surprised when hundreds of clones started requesting immediate returns to Alderaan.

Formal invitations were sent out to their biggest donors and supporters while casually worded but very polite invites went out to the average person that had given what they could to the cause. Details of the holonet show were broadcast throughout Republic space, along with a stern warning that only those with invitations would be allowed into the actual event. The Jedi were formally invited as well, the invitation worded so as to make it clear that any Jedi, regardless of rank or connection was welcome to attend, so long as they had a copy of the invitation.

Within days of the messages going out, the first clones started arriving for their training, jaws dropping as they were told of the grand plan. Barely taking the time to change into civilian clothes, they jumped into the training, putting their considerable talents and rapid learning style to good use as they prepared for the show.

The artistic group came prepared, bringing with them the very best of their works for the art galleries and sales. Paintings and sculptures, beaded works and hand carved pieces, it all came pouring in from all corners of the galaxy. None of it was unpacked at the compound; it was all packed away in the storerooms until the big event, keeping their guests guessing about what might be up for sale.

Even those that no one else believed could be useful were given the chance to get in on the show. Angel, now through six surgeries and able to properly use one arm while the other was somewhat useful, was going over his greeting lines in readiness for taking his spot at the entrance to the grand musical extravaganza. Slick, still a timid young boy but growing every day, was busy getting used to all the horses and letting them get to know him so he could help Shane with the equestrian displays. Others that had been abandoned by the Kaminoans for not being perfect were learning the special effects for the theatre productions, some were mastering the makeup and others were busily helping with the needed costumes. Learning simple dance steps and easy songs, those that were deemed useless by the Kaminoans were out to prove they were anything but.

#~#~^~#~#

The days blurred past the family, everyone going full tilt from dawn to dusk to get everything done and perfected in time for the gala. Instruments were cleaned, polished and practised daily, the air around the compound alive with hundreds of instruments. The new Drum Corps spent hours practising their routines, mastering music and steps as they drilled in one of the empty fields, Thunder in among them to make sure he was truly ready.

The artists and craftsmen were busy as well, finishing off some of their best works in readiness for their grand displays of talent and ability. Each completed piece was priced appropriately and stored away where no one else could see what had been made. The beading group were working around the clock as well, producing the finest pieces that they could from beads and jewels from across the galaxy. Their finest pieces were set aside for Emily, Gena and Veronique to wear at the gala, linking the family together through their shining works.

Those chosen to perform in the stage shows were hard at it learning their lines and trying on the costumes being made by their brothers. Rehearsals were held in the courtyard, the available spaces marked out on the ground so everyone knew exactly where they had to stand to make it all work. The effects were calculated off their positions, giving the crew something to work with when they got to the actual stages they would be using.

Out in another field, Shane worked with his chosen equestrian team, taking them through the routines he'd established they were capable of doing without too much added stress on horses or riders. The workable area of the park had been marked out in rope, the chosen 30 horsemen filling the space as the followed the different routines. The first routines were easy, allowing 15 novices to ride together in stately displays of grace and power. The next set of routines were more complex, dropping back to 9 riders jumping and asking their horses to do much more challenging manoeuvres. His top five riders had an even harder job, replicating moves more suited to the Lipizzaner's of the famous riding schools on Earth. But one had the hardest job of all when it came to the horses. He was the top student and as such, would ride tackless with Shane, demonstrating the purest essence of riding as an art form.

New clothes had to be made for everyone involved in the gala, the style depending entirely on what part or parts they were playing during the big event. Riding uniforms, suits for the musicians, glamorous tunics and cloaks for the dancers, attention grabbing for the singers and truly stunning for the ten parental figures. The horses would also get new equipment, richly decorated saddle blankets were already coming in, along with the new embroidered covers for Thunder's big drums.


	21. Gala Event

The day of the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility gala dawned bright and clear but those involved had already been hard at work for hours. Over the last month, everything that had been needed had been carefully transported to the city and deposited near to where it would be needed. Only the horses were left until the last minute, their health and happiness of the utmost importance.

In six theatres in the city, the performance groups were doing their last dress rehearsals, checking the effects were working and making sure the mic system was carrying their voices to the furthers corners of the audiences. Last minute costume alterations were made and the music finalised, the smaller orchestras settled and ready to go.

Dancers too were warming up in readiness, going through their steps on another half a dozen stages scattered throughout the city. Their big role wouldn't come until later in the evening, after all the other events had wrapped up and focus moved into the grand exhibition hall. There, as the donors were thanked properly and their gracious support acknowledged, the dancers would put their skills to use, asking some of the donors to dance with them. For now, they partnered up and danced for the public, alternating the lead so no one felt they were getting a raw deal.

The catering team was flat out as well, putting the final touches on their centrepieces and yelling at the cooking droids that weren't following instructions. Reputations were on the line, they had to prove they were good enough if the donors were ever going to keep up the support of the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility. Only when the catering was complete and there was absolutely no concern of under feeding their guests, could they join the main body of the celebrations.

Buskers claimed their corners, quartets took their places, choirs warmed their voices and the orchestra filed into the grand concert hall. Last minute practises filled the air, everyone wanting to be sure of a perfect performance. For now, the amplifiers were kept off; no one wanted to upset the people of Aldera with early morning practise.

The Drum Corps was relegated to the valley beyond the city, far enough away so as not to disturb anyone as they went over their routine one more time. With 18 side drummers, 6 base drummers and Thunder bearing his much larger kettle drums, the group made an impressive statement. Even without their grand costumes, they looked impressive. Once everyone was dressed in the ornately styled, Earth based uniforms, they would truly be amazing to behold.

Seven art galleries had been chosen to protect the masses of handiwork that was up for sale, the prices firm and options open if certain buyers wanted to commission a special piece. The galleries were restricted to the best works from all the artists and craftsmen. Smaller, more easily affordable items for the average person would be offered for sale from markets and stalls scattered throughout the city, coaxing their invited guests to scatter and find all the displays on offer for people to enjoy.

#~#~^~#~#

Set up on a corner near the university, Rex and Cody looked up as the haunting notes of the bagpipes echoed over the city, amplified by the speaker system mounted all over to carry the music further.  
'That's the signal. It's time to really show the galaxy what we're capable of.' Rex grinned, adjusting the 501st amulet hanging around his neck.  
'Here comes one of the camera droids, better make it a good opening.' Cody nodded, striking up a good opening song. 'Be nice if we had someone to actually dance to this.'  
'You never know, the audience might be inspired to dance.' Rex shrugged, picking up the song and carrying it further.

Voices in harmony, they played off each other's enjoyment of the music, quite happy to belt out the song in turns, sharing what Emily had taught them in Chicago with the galaxy at large. They knew the song sounded better with a full musical backing but paired voices and guitars carried it just as sweetly.

Lifting over Cody, Rex showed his vocal range proudly, nailing each high and low note in the song, drawing the crowd into the story within the lyrics. Rocking slowly, Rex gave over to the music completely, forgetting his military side to enjoy his musical talent.

Leaving sweet lovely Derry for fair London town,  
There is no finer harbor all around can be found,  
Where the youngsters each evening go down to the shore,  
And the joy bells are ringing for the maid of Culmore.

Rising up to lead again, Cody's range was slightly smaller but he had such power behind his voice, easily covering a song that they'd first heard sung with five voices. Two lacked the full glory of the original but they held it together and entranced the crowd.

The first time I saw her she passed me by,  
And the next time I saw her she bid me goodbye,  
But the last time I saw her it grieved my heart so,  
For she sailed down Loch Foyle and away from Culmore.

Voices rising in harmony, they threw the song into the heavens, bringing forth their emotions to give the song life and vitality. The original fives as taught were blended into a pair, between them covering every note that their fellow singers would usually be there to sing.

If I had the power the storms for to rise,  
I would make the wind blow out and I'd darken the skies,  
I'd make the wind blow high and the salt seas to roar,  
Till the day that my darling sailed away from Culmore.

Having fun with the music, they acknowledged the donations freely given, credits landing in the open guitar case at their feet. A few members of the crowd moved with the beat, enchanted by music so unlike anything else in the galaxy.

To the bad parts of America my love I'll go seek,  
For it's there I know no one and no one knows me,  
But if I don't find her I'll return home no more,  
Like a pilgrim I'll wander for the maid of Culmore.

Letting their first song fade into the morning, the pair gratefully thanked the crowd and struck up another song, not really thinking about it when some of the crowd faded away to continue looking for wonders in the city.

#~#~^~#~#

Manning his stall near the equestrian displays, Fox passed the time making more pieces to put out to tempt the people walking past. Right now he was working on a very impressive twelve strand beaded necklace, all in shades of blue. By no means the most complicated piece he'd made, this one was special but Fox wasn't sure he felt it mattered more than the dozens of necklaces, bracelets and other items spread out in front of him.

Weaving the strands together, threading on more beads and fitting the spreaders as felt right; he created yet another truly unique fashion accessory. Finishing the main drape, he clipped the open end firmly, keeping all the beads in place as he prepared the end caps and clasp. Threading the twelve right ends through one ornately decorated clamshell end cap, he crimped them in pairs and closed the clamshell before repeating the process on the other side.

Reaching into the container of pre-prepared clasps and connective chains, he found one that complimented the dancing blues and set it out on the beading board on his lap, checking it would be a nice fit with the rest of the design. Reaching into another container, he selected four gold jump rings, opening them carefully before placing them on the beading board as well.

Long nosed pliers in both hands, he picked up one of the jump rings, feeding it through the readymade connecting strap and the end cap before twisting it back into shape. Repeating the connection on the other end, he dug out a barrel clasp and replaced the claw clasp in the connecting chain, switching silver findings for gold to complete the look.

Checking the final look, he felt that it was missing something. Putting the piece down, he turned to one of the large beading cases, rifling through the drawers until he found just what he was looking for. Fingers closing around the sky blue focal stone, he removed the silver mounting wire and threaded it with gold instead.

Pliers in hand again, he twisted the wire into place and looped it around the main twelve strands, leaving it loose enough to float over the strands but tight enough that it couldn't jump the end caps and fall off when the necklace was undone. Working the wire back through the hole in the stone, he wrapped the length neatly, trimmed the end and filed it smooth. 

Finally happy with how it looked, Fox turned and dug out a spare display stand, smoothing the elegant piece out and positioning it in pride of place in his stall. His desire to create calmed for the moment, he relaxed and scanned the crowd milling beyond his stall, looking for any familiar faces in the crowd.  
'Hello Fox. Your buir picked a beautiful day for such a grand event.' Aayla commented, pausing to admire his wares.  
'Good morning General Secura. Buir picked a very good day, not a cloud in the sky.' Fox grinned, wondering if Aayla would buy from him.  
'I had heard that your jewellery is of high quality. It seems the rumours are correct, Fox. These pieces are truly beautiful.' Aayla praised, gaze drifting to the blue weave he'd just finished.  
'Thank you General. My family keeps me well stocked with fine beads that they pick up in their adventures.' Fox nodded, indicating the cases and cabinets arranged behind him. 'Some of my bigger focus beads I found in the creak and lake near our home here.'  
'May I try this one?' Aayla asked, indicating the newest completed piece.  
'Of course, General.' Fox replied, reaching for the reflective panel secure in one of his cases.

Gently lifting the necklace from the stand, Aayla released the barrel clasp and held the necklace in position, admiring how it looked against her particular shade of blue. Spinning the clasp to secure it, she accepted the reflective panel, reaching up to touch the delicate filigree clamshell end caps lightly.  
'How much is this one, Fox?' she asked, lowering the panel so she could look him in the eye.  
'For you, 15 credits.' Fox replied, evaluating the time put into the piece, the cost of the beading wire and findings and the price of the few beads he'd had to purchase.  
'No discounts just because I am a Jedi. I will pay your full price.' Aayla corrected, giving him a stern look. 'I mean it Fox, full price.'  
'25 credits.' Fox nodded, adding on the slimmest profit margin he could in the hopes of getting away without feeling bad for overcharging one of his Commanders.

Brushing the necklace softly, Aayla handed back the reflective panel and reached into one of the small pouches on her belt, counting out her credits by feel. Keeping them hidden in her hand until the last minute, she paid Fox and made a quick getaway, disappearing into the crowd before he could call her back to give her change. Not sure what to do, Fox pocketed the credits and made a note to give Bly the extra five credits to return to Aayla at a later date.

#~#~^~#~#

Knowing just how his musical talent went against his reputation as a tough guy, Hevy had purposefully picked a very open spot to perform, leaving him totally at the mercy of the crowd. But at least he wasn't facing the constantly moving crowd alone. At his side, Cutup was stretching up, getting ready for his part in their performances. They might have been isolated from their brothers; out in the open with no place to hide if things were to hell but neither was unarmed, they both had borrowed pistols hidden under their clothes.

Dressed in loose tan pants, short black boots, white long-sleeved shirts with laces in the front and open brown vests, they came across as having stepped out of a simpler time, a time without war and bloodshed. Scattered around their feet, furthering the idea of a simpler, peaceful life were old tools that Emily had brought along from Earth, memories from her past.

A look, a shared smile and they leapt back into their performances. Firing up the crowd with a fast jig, the pair was happy as they spun around together, skipping and turning to the melody. Raising his hands, Cutup engaged the crowd, clapping to the beat as he continued dancing around Hevy, the steps as old as time itself.

Light on his feet, weaving among the tools scattered around, Cutup spotted a familiar face in the crowd and reached out to her, his smile growing as Ahsoka grasped his hand and let him pull her into the dance. Skipping, turning and generally having a wonderful time, Ahsoka couldn't wipe the smile off her face as they moved through the tools and equipment scattered on the ground in their little area.

Lifting Ahsoka easily, Cutup held her high as he skipped backwards over a larger piece of equipment before setting her safely down and spinning her around, always moving to Hevy's little pipe. Smiling around the mouthpiece, Hevy turned with them, the high notes and fast music so infectious.

Ending the jig with a quick fire trill, Hevy lowered his pipe and turned to Ahsoka, offering his hand gracefully. Smiling fondly at him, Ahsoka accepted his hand and let him guide her close, the pair turning a few silent steps before he kissed her cheek and started to play a slower song. Also leaving a kiss on Ahsoka's cheek, Cutup walked over to sit beside Hevy, listening to the mourning song. Nodding slowly, Ahsoka turned and left their little area, a new spring in her step as she continued her explorations.

#~#~^~#~#

Inside, keeping watch over one of the galleries, Palette of the 104th, drifted calmly around the floor, admiring the works from his brothers from all units. There was a specific set that was drawing a lot of attention, six elegant paintings that had to be sold as a group or they wouldn't be sold at all.

None of the admirers of the artworks knew just who had painted those six and Palette certainly wasn't going to tell them and spoil the fun. He was proud of the six images, painted by his own hands. It had taken months of hard work to complete the set, travelling all over the galaxy to get the right reference images and then transfer the ideas onto the canvases. Titled as Sleeping Seniors, the six were a loving tribute to the favourite six senior clones, as voted by the brothers. Totally relaxed, dozing peacefully, the six were draped in unit colours, humanised in their dreaming states.

First was Wolffe, a soft grey blanket drawn over his hips, scarred right eye clearly on display as he slept peacefully. The blanket was folded low on his waist, baring his war scarred chest to the viewers. Covering only his hips and upper thighs, the blanket draped back over his thighs, just above his knees to display shapely calves and feet. Left leg straight and right knee bent, his right foot curled back to tuck into the graceful folds of the blanket, hiding his toes. Right hand resting loosely on his hip, fingers sinking into the soft blanket and left hand tucked under the pillow, he was at peace, lost in peaceful dreams of home.

Next was Bly, the bright yellow of the 327th contrasting beautifully against his tanned skin. Face down, chin tucked into his shoulder as he half hugged the pillow. Left leg hidden under the blanket and right toes draped over the edge of the bed, the soft blanket draped just over his butt to show the strong curves of thigh and calf. Right hand under his cheek and left curled up over his head, fingers gripping the pillow tightly. He was perfectly relaxed, soft eyelashes resting against his cheeks. One corner of the blanket tucked under his hips to protect his modesty, his long back curved gracefully, demonstrating his perfect form.

Then it was Fox, the brilliant red of the Coruscant Guard setting his skin ablaze with life and vitality. Flat on his back, the blanket draped over his waist softly, left leg curled out onto the red as his right remained hidden. Well defined chest stretched out to display his physical perfection, right hand resting lightly on his abdomen as his left cradled his head, he came across as a sleeping god, perfect physically and untouchable by the average person. Even the rough of his unshaven cheeks seemed perfect, adding a touch of grit to his form that only made him appear more like the legends of old.

Enfolded in the rich green of the 41st, Gree curled up on his bed, his uncovered chest clearly showing the curling tattoos of his proud unit. Hands resting in front of his chest, crossed at the wrists, he showed his true reason for fighting - buir and yaim. The blanket was pulled over his thighs and bundled into his groin, protecting his manhood without restriction if he had to fly out of bed for duty. Left knee tucked behind right, he was in a good position to vault out of bed and into his bodysuit as required, ready for another day. Chin to chest, he looked so innocent in his rest, a beautiful contrast to the soldier he was.

Wrapped up in the golden-yellow of his unit, Cody stepped right out of a holonovel, all strength and hard muscles. Sprawled out on his back, left leg bent at the knee with his foot flat on the mattress, the blanket flowed under his raised leg and caressed his right leg, tucked up close to his body and flat on the mattress. One point of the blanket reached up over his abdomen, held there under his left hand. His right hand rested high on his chest, fingers curled around the 212th amulet he wore at all times. Head tucked into his shoulder, he showed off his facial scar, the angry line curling past his left eye barely detracting from his wild beauty.

Completing the set, draped in the deep blue of the famous 501st, Rex sprawled out on his chest, head pillowed on his crossed arms. Head tucked into his right shoulder, the angle made it appear as though he was kissing the curling tattoo there on his shoulder. The deep blue blanket rested lightly across his lower back, positioned to just cover the curve of his ass as he slept peacefully. Resting over his hips and the tops of his thighs, it slithered down between his thighs in an elegant curve and flowed under his knees, entangling the man and the legend together. The blanket bunched up against under his feet, supporting his ankles and showing him to his best.

Tearing his gaze away from the six paintings, Palette scanned the crowd again, looking for any signs of interest from anyone that might have the credits to purchase the full set. It would be a crying shame to have to split the group just to sell them, they should stay together but the rest facility needed credits more than they needed artworks.

#~#~^~#~#

Waiting for his cue as the small orchestra wound up the tension, Kix adjusted his cloak and stepped onto the small hand lift, glancing over to where Ralph was waiting, both hands on the crank. The fog machines started to hiss, filling the area with smoke and he was off, rising smoothly to take centre stage.

Dressed in the finest velvet and satin, he looked like some great scholar from the past, bright colours and excess cloth spilling around him. The lift locked into place and he flung his hands apart, two fans overhead blowing the smoke away to reveal him in all his glory. Head held high, he put his all into the performance, head held high as he spoke from deep inside, setting the theatre ringing with his poetry.

The audience was silent, completely wrapped up in his display of control and strength as he strutted along the raised walkway between the two sections of the orchestra. Coming to the end of the walkway, he looked down at his brothers sitting around him, dressed in very simple, repeatedly patched outfits.

Speaking of the gap that was so often seen between rich and poor, Kix took a knee and gently gathered one of his baby brothers to his chest, cradling him close as he stood. Looking out over the crowd again, he indicated the boy in his arms as he spoke of helping others and supporting those without a future. Calling for everyone to reach out and remember those that were forgotten, Kix wrapped his fine cloak around the child and promised to protect any child that he came across in his journeys.

Asking for help with his mission, Kix backed up along the walkway, his baby brother safe in his arms as he retreated to the main stage. Cued off his monologue, several more of his younger brothers made their way onto the stage, dressed in simplified versions of his grand costume. Gathering around him, they looked out over the crowd with hopeful eyes, acting out little moments in the monologue.

Glancing down at the boys gathered around him, Kix tapped six of them and lifted his voice again, speaking for all his brothers against the hardships they faced and just what the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility meant to all of them. Asking for help, no matter how big or small, he smiled as his six chosen brothers ran back on stage and forward, bringing with them warm cloaks.

Flowing with the rhythm Kix gave life to, the young six helped those sitting at the end of the walkway, wrapping them up in the warm cloaks and guiding them back to stand with Kix. Emotions clear for all to see and hear, Kix drew as many of his injured and handicapped brothers into the spotlight as he could, gaining sympathy from those that could hear him.

#~#~^~#~#

 

Watching his best five complete their third routine for the day, Shane grinned and strode out into the marked riding ring, Libby, his chestnut mare, walking along at his side. From the other side, Jester approached with his palomino mare Sunshine, meeting Shane in the middle.  
'You have witnessed many riding talents so far today but as you have all likely noticed, every rider today has used saddle and bridle to communicate their instructions to their horses. A truly great horseman, the kind that only comes along once in a while, can ride without any tack. Of all the clones I have taught to ride these foreign beasts, only one has proven to be the kind of horseman to do such a thing.' Shane announced, swinging up onto Libby as Jester mounted Sunshine and rubbed her neck softly.

Relaxed and in total control of their mounts, Shane and Jester circled the marked ring, letting the amazed crowd watch how they moved with their beasts, hands light against their necks and legs firm against their sides. From walk to trot and up into a canter, the men stayed solid on their horses, in tune with the horses running freely.

Easing Sunshine back into a walk, Jester guided her into the middle of the ring, between two of the jumps, and shifted his weight back, tapping her shoulders lightly. Responding instantly, Sunshine reared up, pawing at the air with her front hooves as she held her position, Jester still relaxed and at ease on her back. Guiding her back down, Jester checked where Shane was before leaning forward and giving her another signal. Tossing her head, Sunshine planted her front hooves and lashed out with her back legs, demonstrating her immense power and strength.

Circling Libby around again, Shane dismounted while she was still moving forward and landed lightly, scratching his head. Wheeling around, Libby trotted back towards him, never losing her stride as Shane grabbed and vaulted back onto her in one smooth motion. Tapping her with his heels, they picked up speed to come back up beside Jester, everything totally relaxed and fun for the horses.

Careful not to spook Libby, Jester accepted Shane's hand and transferred from Sunshine to sit behind Shane, holding firm around his waist. Signalling Libby, Shane rested one hand on Jester's knee in support as the sprightly young mare broke into an easy trot. Nickering in protest, Sunshine broke into a trot as well, coming up beside Libby and gently nudging Jester to get his attention. Smiling softly, Jester signalled Sunshine forward and transferred back onto her at speed. For a few terrifying moment he was balanced on both before he got across and settled on Sunshine, rubbing her neck in praise.

Coming around again, they lined up on the jumps down the middle of the ring, Shane holding back and motioning for the crowd to be silent. Giving clear, precise instructions through touch and voice, Jester pushed Sunshine up into a full gallop and over the six jumps, never shifting in his seat on her golden back. Circling back around, Sunshine went back over the jumps and eased back through her gaits to stop gracefully beside Shane.


	22. The Grand Parade

At 1100 hours, the air rang to a new beat as focus shifted from the scattered displays to the grand parade down the main street of Aldera. Everyone that was involved in the parade abandoned their positions around the city, leaving their instruments, stalls and whatever else in the care of brothers who had chosen not to get involved in the parade.

Changing into their parade outfits, they formed up on the grassy plains just outside the city, sorting out the order for the parade and making sure everything was perfect. Together they were a blur of colour and noise, everyone wearing their unit colours but still tied together under the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility banner.

Organising their sections of the parade, nine of the ten parental figures were busy adjusting outfits, going over final checks and making sure everyone knew exactly what had to be done. They stood out from the crowd of clones, dressed totally in purple with golden cloaks, the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility insignia embroiled on them in purple.

The insignia was a simple yet stunningly beautiful design that Veronique came up with. 6 unmarked clone helmets in a circle, each one a different type as worn by the GAR. In the middle of the ring, the letters ACRF identified the insignia for what it really was. Curling above and below the ring of helmets, the words "A Home For Every Clone" was a solid promise from parents to their young charges.

Shane was working with a new set of chosen riders; this group had the basics but had also been working with specific horses, teaching them to dance. 20 riders all in tan riding breeches, brown fringed chaps, long black boots and fitted purple tunics with the insignia embroidered in gold on the back. They also wore their unit colours in bands over their shoulders and around their wrists. Topping off their look, they wore buff coloured, wide brimmed hats with small fans of coloured feathers in the bands.

Buck got a bit of a short straw, handed the marching band to get organised and ready. But somehow he pulled it off. Now they stood united, 36 bandsmen in the same purple and gold tunics as everyone else, the same unit colours at the shoulders and wrists but they wore loose black pants and short tan boots instead.

Gena got lucky; she had a 24 man drill team, each one borrowing one of Emily's old 1903 Springfield Rifles. Gena too was borrowing a special bit of kit; Emily's old Marine Corps sword was secure on her belt. Her drill team was wearing a slightly tighter fit to the tunics, the tailoring specifically done to keep the tunics out of the way while the team was strutting their stuff. Crisp white pants and black lace ups completed their look.

Ralph had a particularly big job; he was in charge of the six horse-drawn wagons transporting the most precious members of the family. Dressed to match their combat perfect brothers, they were shining examples of the dedication the family put into their job, each one handicapped in their own way. The tunics were non-negotiable, everyone had to wear the same but they wore whatever pants and shoes were most comfortable for them.

David knew that he had to be on top of his game to keep track of his group, they were scattered along the entire length of the parade, bearing the marker banners for each group and the unit flags randomly mixed behind each main performance group in neat ranks. Every service and training unit was there, creating a rainbow of colours over the purple and gold clad men. Locking them together, the flag and banner bearers wore matching purple form fitting pants and knee-length black boots.

Jean-Claude had one of the larger groups, 52 men in neat ranks with just a little bit more space planned into their section to they could get through their flashy dancing display without any pileups on the roadway. Their tunics were made of a lighter weight material, still in the same colour and with the unit bands but the lower weight would make it easier for them to move freely. The lighter weight material also meant it was just as comfortable for his team to wear their tunics much longer than anyone else. Instead of the standard mid-thigh length, the dancers wore theirs to mid-calf, extra fabric adding an extra swirl around them as they danced. In tight black pants and soft shoes, they were ready to dance up a storm in celebration.

Veronique's 48 wore even lighter tunics, the soft cloth hugging their bodies like a second skin. Their pale grey pants were just as tight and their soft lace ups were well broken in for the ultimate of comfort. Their clothes had to be tight and flexible; they were the gymnastic team for the parade. Their ranks were a lot more relaxed, so long as everyone stayed in a rough square near Veronique; they were in the right spot.

Running through a few last minute practise drills, Rufus watched over his 25 man team, making absolutely sure they looked perfect. 18 snare drums, 6 bass drums and Thunder with his big kettle drums, they weren't one of the bigger groups but they would certainly have an impact. They looked stunning in their matching tunics, white breeches and long black boots carrying on the feeling of unity while still marking their units proudly. To top it off, they all wore wide brimmed black hats, great big purple feathers secure in the brim. Each one was 24 inches long and bright purple, furthering the family colour. Up on Thunder's back, Sinker knew he would be the star of the Drum Corps, everyone would be looking at him as he controlled the grand Clydesdale without losing the beat.

Taking a knee in the middle of his group, Aloysius smiled proudly as they gathered around him, young eyes lit up with excitement but also nervousness. Calming their concerns, Aloysius checked each of his 60 cadets in turn, straightening their uniforms and tidying their hair. He had a middle-ground team, they were capable drillers and graceful dancers but they were still only cadets and too small to join either Gena's drill team or Jean-Claude's dancers. So they were lumped together with Aloysius to do their own routine, a mix of drill and dance.

With everyone ready, the nine parental figures mounted their own horses, attendants helping to smooth out their long cloaks as soon as they were settled and comfortable. To carry the look of unity, Gena and Veronique were riding side saddle, connecting them back to Emily at the head of the parade. No one knew exactly how the horses would go now that they had to face the massive crowd in the city, they could only hope for no mishaps.

#~#~^~#~#

Smack on midday, right on time as promised in the programme for the events, Emily made her way down the crowded plaza. Proudly riding side-saddle on Diablo, her beautiful purple gown and golden cloak draped over his glistening coat, there was no mistaking that she was beloved of all clones, not if the rainbow tassel hanging from Diablo's bridle was anything to go by. Waving gracefully to the crowd, Emily smiled and coaxed Diablo into a proper strut as befitted the mount of the Clone Mother.

From out of various gaps in the crowd, some of her elder sons came out to meet her, each one dressed in the same purple tunic as all their displaying brothers. Under their tunics they wore blue jeans and calf-length, ornately decorated brown cowboy boots. Adding to their look, each one wore a buff coloured cowboy hat with a purple band around the crown and a small fan of small feathers in all the colours of the rainbow. 

Each man led a small pony ridden by a younger brother. Wearing identical costumes to their elder brothers, the youngsters on the ponies looked absolutely adorable as they waved to the crowds, always keeping one hand on the reins. One of the youngsters, hat tipped forward to hide much of his face, cradled a large bouquet of flowers in his arms, waiting for something.

Glancing up at Emily as they approached the royal pavilion, Palette stepped out of the group around her and led his younger brother up the deep purple carpet set out in front of the royal pavilion. Uttering reassurances under his breath, he approached the pavilion and knelt to help young Shadow off the grey mare, Diva. Listening to the soft guidance from his older brother, Shadow clutched the bouquet to his chest and picked his way forward, stumbling on the stairs but he didn't fall.  
'For you, milady.' Shadow offered, not actually facing the Queen but he was close enough.  
'Turn a little to the left, Shadow.' Palette corrected, looking up at the royal gathering. 'He has been blind since the beginning, milady.'  
'Thank you very much Shadow.' the Queen smiled, reaching out to take the bouquet. 'These are very beautiful.'  
'I am glad you like them, milady.' Shadow replied, removing his hat and bowing deeply.  
'Come on Shadow, we'd best get back to buir.' Palette called softly, holding out his hand in readiness to catch his brother. 'I'm here vod'ika.'

Picking his way back to Palette's side, Shadow reached out and found his pony but he needed help to get back in the saddle. Lifting his little brother back into the saddle, Palette took the lead rope and lead the pair back out to the main parade, jogging slowly to catch up with Emily.

#~#~^~#~#

Mounted on a stocky pinto gelding, Buck was next up the parade route, keeping River to a slow, stately walk so he didn't leave his band behind. Proudly following their banner, the 36 members of the marching band carried themselves beautifully, never missing a beat of the Earth medley specifically created for them. Drifting from one song to the next with flare and style, they captivated the crowds, earning places in the hearts of people from across the galaxy.

Adding to the flash of his marching band, the bandsmen didn't stay in their first positions, instead showing that they could do more than march into battle time and time again. In perfect step, maintaining the song across the ranks, they stepped and turned in harmony, dazzling the crowds with their abilities to be so creative and never march in just dull ranks of four.

Pulling River back into a better position, Buck checked their distance and nodded, satisfied that their fast step had gotten them into the perfect position to really show the talent of his marching band to the people.  
'On our homeworld, so far from this beautiful world, we knew a song that paid tribute to a great Queen and was sung at all grand occasions. Our country stopped singing this great song after we achieved independence from the monarchy but we remembered. So I will now invite Boil of the 212th Attack Battalion and Boost of the 104th Battalion to join with the band and share this grand song with all of you.' Buck announced, his voice carried by the comms system that had been set up for the parade.

Emerging from the crowd and mounting up smoothly, the pair trotted out to join Buck on matching white stallions. Slipping into place behind Buck and in front of the band, the pair sat tall in the saddle, wearing slightly longer tunics than the bandsmen with blue jeans and black cowboy boots richly decorated with rural scenes. On their heads, they wore brown cowboy hats, each one decorated with a larger fan of colourful feathers.

Pulling the band into neat ranks of four, Buck signalled for the song and removed his own hat out of respect as the first bars rang out along the plaza. Reins held in their left hands, the chosen vocalists removed their hats and lifted their chins, waiting for the cue.

God save our gracious Queen  
Long live our noble Queen  
God save the Queen  
Send her victorious  
Happy and glorious  
Long to reign over us  
God save the Queen

Listening to their powerful voices, Buck smiled and nodded, truly pleased with what he was hearing from the young pair. They had only been learning God Save the Queen for a few weeks, a little surprise to keep them on their toes but they performed magnificently. Six verses to sing, three while approaching the Queen and three after passing the pavilion, it was a lot for the pair to remember on top of keeping their mounts in line, maintaining proper posture and saluting the Queen as they passed her.

#~#~^~#~#

Keeping his black mare Melanie steady, Aloysius coaxed her forward in rhythm with the marching band, glancing back over his shoulder to check on his group. It was no easy feat getting 60 young boys in perfect rhythm and step, military training or not. But here, right when it mattered, every step, twist and jump was perfect. For a few brief moments, not one of his 60 was touching the ground, all of them on a straight line above the ground. Touching down, they swirled and moved forward again, graceful and smooth with their motions.

They looked so good together in their family tunics, buff coloured trousers and sturdy but flexible black shoes. Where their older brothers wore their unit colours, over their shoulders and around their wrists, these youngsters had white stripes, indicating their junior status. Staying in their ranks through the steps, they drew attention to the thousands of junior troopers still training hard and those in their cloning vats.

Faces lit with happiness as they turned and jumped again, leaving a good foot of empty air beneath all their feet, the 60 youngsters really looked like they were having fun. The stunts were hard, requiring total concentration and dedication to maintain their positioning and rhythm. But Aloysius had told them if they got a step wrong to just keep going as if everyone else was wrong and they were the only one who had the right steps.

Turning Melanie when he heard a thump, Aloysius barely had time to turn her around before one of the other senior clones left his place on the side of the plaza and jogged into the group, careful not to disrupt the rest of the group as he knelt and picked the fallen child up. Brushing him off and tending to his scraped knees, Stat of the 41st cradled his little brother to his chest and followed the main group along the plaza slowly.  
'Dry your eyes, vod'ika. It's okay; you can still finish the parade Donny.' Stat uttered, settling his little brother on his hip as he lined up behind Aloysius.  
'You mean that Stat?' Donny asked, wiping his eyes and looking up at his brother.  
'Sure, we'll finish it together.' Stat nodded, smoothing out Donny's hair as the walked along behind the young rhythmic dancers.

#~#~^~#~#

Trotting sweet Mary, an older thoroughbred mare, along the side of the parade, David kept a sharp eye on his flag and banner bearers. So far they were doing a fine job, keeping their spacing and diligently following Emily up towards the palace where every clone in the galaxy would formally be given their part of family life. Careful not to break the rhythm of the parade, David guided Mary across the plaza and turned her back towards the tail of the parade, constantly vigilant for problems.

Their job seemed easy enough but after only a few minutes, the eight-foot long poles got to be extremely heavy. Even with the shining black shoulder slung bracing straps to hold the butt end of the poles and the padded gloves to protect their hands, the flags and banners did get to be very uncomfortable to carry.

So he turned to the brothers that were hanging around on the sidelines, waiting to be called into action. Handing out spare support harnesses and gloves, he doubled up on the bearers, allowing them a chance to swap around when the weight got a little too much. David actually made a feature of the switches, instructing his bearers to swap every ten minutes with a flashy little flick between them.

Right on time according to the old chrono David was wearing, the flags were switched over again, his boys throwing in a little toss as well as the flick to make the banners and flags snap in the air. But for just a few seconds, the flags hung in the air without a hand on them before the recovered bearers took them again.

#~#~^~#~#

Driving the lead wagon, Ralph kept Trigger on the middle line, listening for the steady hoof beats of the rest of his wagons. Stringing along behind him, everyone keeping two feet from the wagon in front, the six wagons made their way up the plaza, dozens of handicapped brothers waving to the crowds and making their presence in the galaxy known. Each wagon was festooned with the unit colours from throughout the GAR and the preceding banner clearly stated that these were the men who needed the most support from the kind hearts of the galaxy.

Sitting up beside Ralph, his battle scars on full view for all to see, Bomber closed his eyes and relaxed back against the padded chair, the brightly clothed crowds too much for his damaged vision to handle comfortably. Mangled hands resting in his lap, he listened to the crowds and smiled as best as he could, enjoying the sounds all around him without the confusing visuals.

Signalling to the following wagons as he eased Trigger to a stop, Ralph jumped down and came around to the little girl that had come out of the crowd with a naïve little bouquet of wild flowers clutched in her hands.  
'Are those for the injured?' Ralph asked, crouching down to her level.  
'Uh-ha. I feel so sad when I see them, I wanted to make them smile.' she replied, pretty blonde curls bouncing as she nodded.  
'I know who would really like those. Up you come.' Ralph grinned, gently scooping the young girl up and approaching the wagon. 'Bomber, this little girl has something for you.'  
'I smell something lovely.' Bomber remarked, turning on the seat and opening his eyes.

He couldn't see her very well but he could make out the bright red and white of her dress against Ralph's buff-coloured shirt. Covering his weaker right eye, the mangled mass of colour in her hands became a little clearer, still nothing more than a blur but at least now he could see roughly defined areas of different colours against her dress.  
'This is Bomber, he doesn't see very well but he knows you're there.' Ralph guided, stepping closer and lifting the young girl up to Bomber's level.  
'I see brighter colours better. I can make out the rough shape of your pretty red dress.' Bomber added, reaching out slowly to touch her arm where he could make out a pink blur against a green background.  
'My name is Mielle. It must be hard to get around if you can't see very well.' she replied, reaching out to wrap her soft fingers around his scarred knuckles.  
'My hands are my eyes and I can hear and smell my way around familiar environments.' Bomber smiled, listening intently for a moment. 'Sounds like your tummy is empty.'  
'Mummy said we could have lunch after the parade.' Mielle giggled, amazed by what Bomber could tell about the world around him. 'These are for you, I picked them myself.'  
'Thank you, that's very sweet of you.' Bomber replied, a little awkward with his clawed hands but he managed to take the sweet smelling flowers from her. 'They smell so beautiful.'

Covering his right eye again, Bomber managed to pick out several dark blue flowers before turning and offering out the rest of the bouquet to his brothers. Admiring the flowers so thoughtfully picked by young hands, his brothers divided them up into dozens of smaller bouquets to be handed around to as many brothers as possible. Three men left the lead wagon, handing out the flowers to more of their brothers, pointing out Mielle as the original giver.

Watching the way the flowers were being spread around, Ralph turned and carried young Mielle back to her patiently waiting mother, gently handing the young girl over.  
'You are truly a generous and wonderful little girl, Mielle. Look at how many men you have made happy with your gift.' Ralph praised, looking back over his shoulder at all the men now holding delicate wildflowers in their war scarred hands.  
'Look mummy, they're all smiling.' Mielle grinned, waving to the wounded clones.  
'So they are. You did it Mielle, just like you said.' her mother nodded, hoisting Mielle up a little more. 'Thank you for stopping, Mielle has been looking forward to this all month.'  
'Sounds like some of the boys I take care of, they've all been so excited for today.' Ralph chuckled, turning around when someone called for him. 'Okay Slick, I'll be right there.'  
'Bless you, Sir. For all the good you are doing in this galaxy.' Mielle's mother offered, smiling warmly at Ralph.  
'Thank you Ma'am. You be good now Mielle and maybe we'll see you around some day.' Ralph grinned, dipping his head respectfully before turning and hurrying back to the wagon.

Swinging back onto the wagon, Ralph tipped his hat to Mielle and her mother before flicking the reins and starting back down the plaza. Trailing along behind him, the other five wagons all paid their own tributes to the young girl and her mother, waving and holding their shared flowers to their chests.

#~#~^~#~#

Grateful for the cleaning crew that went ahead of his group, picking up the stray lumps of horse poop on the ground, Baba kept Clydesdale/Morgan Trip on the center line, leading his dance team as they entranced the crowds with their elegance and grace. For a group of born and bred soldiers, they took to formal dancing with ease, alternating their leads and constantly moving forward at a nice, slow pace.

Right up the front, his very best partnership came across exactly as hoped - totally in love. In the beginning, Tup and Dogma hadn't been brave enough to dance in front of anyone but here they were, leading 25 other partnerships past thousands of cheering citizens of the Republic. Heads held high, binary stars in a galaxy all of their own, Tup and Dogma stole the show completely, their love so clear to see.

Arranged behind them in alternating rows of three and two, the rest of the dancers weren't quite as close, always keeping a respective couple of inches between their bodies as they twirled along the plaza, harmony in motion. Leads switching again, they moved from a stately waltz to a faster paced samba, everyone on step and following the beat of the music coming from the sound system slung over Baba's shoulders.

It hadn't been easy to choreograph the sequence, turning dances usually done in circles or back and forth into straight lines to continue along the plaza in the right direction. But with time and patience, the dances had been straightened out and lined up, 35 different styles linked together to cover the measured distance. Baba had tried to cover as many different styles as he could without overtaxing his men. They had a lot to remember but so long as Tup and Dogma stayed on step and kept the pattern, everyone else would follow.

Leads switching back again, the team kept moving forward slowly, every step carefully measured so they would be in the right positions for every switch. Gliding from stately ballroom dances to faster Latin American styles and even throwing in some free form dance when the timing was right, they showed so much and kept moving right up the plaza, heads held high.

#~#~^~#~#

Holding her borrowed sword proudly, Gena was grateful for the extra training from Shane when it came to controlling the high spirited Ranger, a young chestnut gelding born on Alderaan. He was a bit of a handful at the best of times but riding side saddle with only one hand free for the reins made it just that little bit harder. Signalling to her drill team, she tapped Ranger back onto the middle line, keeping her position between their ID banner and the spinning rifles of her men, each one a veteran of at least four months on the front lines.

Click plates attached to their boots rang out against the durasteel of the plaza, completely changing the atmosphere of the event as they followed their banner. Listening intently to her 24, Gena was pleased that she didn't hear a spattering of click plate strikes; each step was solid and united. She'd been working hard with Ranger as well, training him to stay in step with the team so the clicking of his hooves against the plaza didn't detract from their rhythm.

The rattle of the guns sent a thrill of pride through her, reminding her of times she'd been able to pause and watch the Marine Corps Silent Drill Team do their thing. But there was something really special about doing similar drills with 24 men that looked so close to identical. The men enjoyed it too, eyes twinkling with joy as they marched up the plaza, flashes of sunlight off steel lighting them up beautifully.

Keeping their spacing and maintaining their stride while still paying full attention to their flying weapons, the men following Gena had to stay totally focused, one slip could do a nasty injury. The bayonets attached to each rifle were razor sharp, each one carefully examined by Gena before they were allowed to parade with them. It was an added danger but all the men had proven that they were capable of handling the added responsibilities.

Shifting her grip on her sword as they approached the royal pavilion, Gena swallowed nervously and hoped that her top eight were ready for what they were supposed to be doing. Coming forward, her first two ranks formed up around Ranger, leaving just enough room to swing their rifles without cutting the high-spirited horse.

Bringing her sword up, hilt to her face, Gena kept her eyes steadfastly forward, trusting in her family to do their part without her eyes on them. Approaching the royal pavilion, her chosen eight swung into their ultimate performance, tossing their rifles blindly past Gena into the waiting hands of their counterpart on the other side. It took total trust from Gena to keep riding forward while the weapons were flying past her, spooking Ranger a little but she was able to hold him steady as they passed the pavilion and continued on up the plaza.

Coming along behind the top eight, the rest of the 24 man team shouldered their rifles and snapped off perfect salutes, honouring the Queen that had been so gracious in giving them a home where they could be truly free and happy. Getting to her feet, the Queen raised her right hand with her palm towards the men, accepting their respect with a fond smile.

#~#~^~#~#

Guiding Libby up the plaza, Shane put his trust in his team, using his tried and tested methods to get Libby to do what every other horse in the group was doing. Of all the displays and demonstrations today, this was by far the most complicated of everything. These 21 horses weren't just being ridden, they were being asked to dance to the beat coming out of the music system Jester was carrying on Sunshine. Using a wide range of cues, the group coaxed their horses to spin, cross step and rear all together. The horses took it remarkably well, responding to their cues and looking like they were having fun.

Dressed in their finest in honour of the grand day, the horses stole the show more so than the men riding them. The tack had been lovingly handcrafted by several craftsmen in Aldera, more used to making simple harnesses for eopies and other beasts but with proper measurements and guided by Emily's sketches of what she wanted, the tack was easily made.

In shining black leather, richly ornamented with silver etched with the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility insignia and engraved with a tight basket weave all over, the saddles looked truly magnificent against the crisp white blankets underneath. The girths, breastplates and bitless bridles were all crafted to match, catching the light and drawing all the more attention. Finishing off the look, the stirrups were engraved to match the rest of the silverware and the reins were of simple braided leather capped in silver.

Handing the music system to Patch of the 41st, Jester came up beside Shane as they approached the pavilion. Moving slowly so they didn't spook their mounts, both men eased their feet out of the stirrups and slowed their mounts, making ready for the most daring display. Holding onto each other for mutual support, the pair stood up on the swaying backs of their horses, knees bent and backs straight as they waved to the crowds.

Behind the true stars of their team, the remaining 18 riders, lacking the courage and ability to stand in the saddle, rode along with their heads held high, calmly asking their horses to turn in tight circles and rear up in sequence. It looked very impressive but it didn't detract from the incredible display from Shane and Jester.

Bringing Libby and Sunshine closer, Shane turned and stepped across to place one foot on Sunshine's saddle, lightly taking the reins from Jester so he was controlling both horses but he couldn't see much from his position behind Jester. Stepping out to stand like Shane, Jester took both sets of reins and held the horses steady as Shane took their stunt one step further. Ever so carefully, aware that a fall from here would be very dangerous, Shane climbed up onto Jester's shoulders, sitting tall and lifting his hat in a salute to the Queen as they passed her by.

Climbing back down and returning to Libby's back, Shane glanced at Jester and grinned, the pair coaxing their horses back into the dance behind them.  
'You did a good job, Jester. I'm proud of you.' Shane praised, guiding Libby up into a rear again.  
'Thanks ba'vodu Shane.' Jester flushed, turning Sunshine and getting her going backwards.

#~#~^~#~#

Letting the second cleaning crew do their bit and remove the accumulated horse poop from the plaza, Veronique nudged her grey stallion Shadow into line and paused a moment to let David pass again before leading her group forward, looking back over her shoulder as they somersaulted, flipped and cart-wheeled along behind her. To watch them, one could almost be forgiven for thinking they had been doing this for years, her 48 held their positions through it all, no one left behind as they rippled forward in leaps and rolls.

The plaza wasn't the most comfortable place to be doing these sorts of activities but the soft gloves and hidden kneepads helped to ease the pressure as the men continued forward. Creating human towers, three men high, and proving that they had faith in their brothers when the topmost men leapt off into the welcoming arms of their brothers still on the ground, the team kept constantly moving forward, lithe strength on display for the universe.

Jumping up onto Boost's shoulders, Waxer threw his arms out and flipped off backwards in sequence with the other four pairs in the front row, everyone smiling and enjoying their chance to really open up and have a great time. Springing up into handstands, the front four walked along the plaza, feet kicking in the air as they tried to keep their balance and follow the right path ahead.

Showing no concern for potential injuries, Gree and Bly ran forward and jumped, tumbling through the parted legs of their younger brothers to take the front row in the display. Waving their brothers forward, the men proved their strength all over again, creating four ten-man pyramids without losing their forward movement. The remaining eight men, younger and a little smaller than the rest scrambled up the sides of the towers, latching onto the top brother on each stack and leaning out, waving to the people applauding their skills.

The central two human pyramids came apart, scattering half the team around the group as the younger brothers climbed down from the front and rear. Climbing up to take their positions, the older brothers started putting together a very tricky shape. From the outer pyramids, the rest of the team were going to build a bridge from peak to peak, demonstrating their strength and agility. For all their months of training, they'd only nailed this stunt once so doing it in public was a big risk.

The towers at each end changed shape first, going from a flat line to curve around into a circle, backs to the middle and everyone linked together to create stronger pillars to hold the bridge. Then the ground half got to work, forming smaller towers and starting to build the bridge from each end. Constantly moving forward, following Veronique up the plaza, most of the team couldn't see the road ahead, they had to trust in their brothers at the front to lead them forward.

Climbing up the smaller towers of men in between the pillars, each man grabbed their brothers, starting to string out the bridge cautiously. Four support towers were employed, working in pairs from each end to get the men forming the bridge links up into position, facing alternate sides of the plaza. Hands on ankles, those already up held on tight and hoped that no one slipped anywhere along the length. One slip from anyone and the entire creation would come crashing down to the ground in a painful heap.

Finally they got the bridge up, much to the relief of all the brothers involved and the wonder of the people watching them. It took 14 men to build the bridge, their combined weight anchored by the top three men on each end to keep their weight anchored until the under structure was completed. Splitting to the pillars at each end, the remaining 14 men went seven to each end and climbed up, forming support chains of three and four, reaching out from the towers at each and to brace the weight of the bridge.

Holding their positions through the exhaustion setting into their limbs, the team kept it together as they passed the royal pavilion, allowing the Queen to wonder at their abilities as a team. Strength was important but weight was also a consideration. Too heavy and the fragile formation would collapse.

Passing the pavilion, they broke apart, rebuilding the support towers and guiding their brothers back down to the ground safely. Pausing for a breath, those that were down from their positions in the bridge swung back into the standard rhythm, rolling and flipping along the plaza and entrancing the crowds all over again.

#~#~^~#~#

Shattering the peace of Veronique's passing, Rufus tapped Drifter up into her parade walk and drummed out a quick roll on the small drum slung around his neck. His roll was answered by the Corps behind him, 25 in rhythm with his opening. Formed up in neat ranks of six, with Thunder and Sinker bringing up the rear directly behind Rufus, they were a handsome team, everyone in step and sounding out the song in their hearts.

Ringing out with the drums and adding a magical little element to their sound, bells rang with every hoof beat from the front and rear of the Drum Corps, soft purple ribbons holding the sparkling bells to the mighty legs of Drifter and Thunder. The very air seemed to vibrate with the power of the drums, bringing such a tribal feel to the parade. 

Bringing up the rear, stately and proud as always, Thunder didn't react to the crowd at all, he just kept plodding along with the group, ears flicking as he listened but he wasn't fazed by any of it. Perched high on his back, hoping Thunder would just follow the others as he carried the strength of the drums ahead, Sinker kept his head up and played on, trusting in his team to lead them through.

Having fun with the music all around them, the team drilled to the beat, never dropping a note as they stepped and turned, constantly changing their ranks and having the best time with it. It sounded incredible, the beat carried in the heart of every clone put out there for all to hear and know as intimately as the clones knew it.

They looked so good as a team, long purple feathers bobbing in time as the drummers turned their heads and gave over completely to the powerful music swirling around them. They forgot all about being perfect little soldiers and fell into the heady beat, running totally on base instincts. It was so empowering, this freedom, allowing men usually so restricted to finally be free and happy young men.

Running through the complex manoeuvres that they'd been practising, the drummers on foot really had to be on the ball, keeping their spacing as they tossed drumsticks back and forth among their ranks. Behind them, just as focused on their footwork and keeping the bass line, the six bass drummers were putting on a show of their own, beaters flying in circles over their heads on the thick lanyards wrapped around their wrists and attached to the end of the beaters.

Coming up to the pavilion, Rufus dismounted smoothly and took Drifter by the reins, leading her towards their VIPs. Turning to face the pavilion and signalling for the drummers to hold their position, Rufus gathered his long cloak close and sunk to one knee at the end of the carpet leading into the pavilion. At his side, Drifter stretched out her front legs and sunk down into a bow, honouring the Queen for their home.

Getting up again, Rufus guided Drifter back and straightened the feathered crest attached to her bridle before swinging back into the saddle and returning to his place in the display. Tapping Drifter back up into her parade walk, Rufus signalled for his drummers and moved off, trusting in them to offer appropriate respect to the Alderaan Queen.

Returning to their original ranks of six, the drums fell silent as the Corps marched past the Queen, heads snapping to the right as they started up a light roll, keeping the music going but still respectful of the Queen and her entourage. Nodding slowly, she smiled at them all and raised her hand in acknowledgement, so proud of the men that shared her world.

Playing on steadily, Sinker adjusted the reins and turned Thunder to face the pavilion before he put his beaters down and sat up straighter on the mighty horse. Saluting the Queen, Sinker leant back as Thunder offered a small bow and dipped his head low, exactly as he'd been trained to do when Sinker leant his weight back. Clicking his tongue, Sinker got him back up and was just turning to leave when the Queen stood and approached them, gliding along the carpet.  
'Such a magnificent beast.' she remarked, reaching out to touch Thunder's shoulder.  
'Thank you, Your Majesty.' Sinker replied, rubbing Thunder's neck. 'I am very proud to have been chosen to ride him today.'  
'What is your name, trooper?' she asked, waving away her attendants with a lazy wave.  
'I am Sinker of the 104th and this is Thunder.' Sinker offered, aware that his brothers were waiting for him but there was nothing he could do.  
'I will not keep you Sinker, there are still many people wishing to see you.' she smiled, offering her hand to him. 'You will always be welcome on Alderaan.'  
'You honour us, Your Majesty.' Sinker nodded, leaning over to lightly take her hand before bending down to brush a respectful kiss across her knuckles.

Waiting for her to go back to her seat, Jester turned Thunder back towards the rest of their group and pulled his beaters out again, rumbling out a powerful new rhythm for his brothers to carry. This one sang of respect and honour, acknowledging the Queen and all her people, thanking them for welcoming the clones to share their world and praising the efforts of the galaxy to help them find what so many took for granted.


	23. Exhibitions

As night fell, the main focus of the event again switched from the city-wide displays and demonstrations, this time everyone headed for the exhibition hall for another few hours of mixed entertainment and speeches. The final purchaser of the Sleeping Seniors painting set would also be announced, the prices and auction on those six a closely guarded secret.

This was the time for the catering group to really shine, circling through the seated crowd and soaking up the praise for their efforts. Their food, simple, honest and healthy, was going down a treat. From Senators to Jedi and civilians from all walks of life, everyone was amazed by the array of foods on offer.

Long skirt sweeping the floor as she stepped out onto the main stage, Emily smiled softly as she was joined by the rest of the parental figures that were responsible for the raising for the clones. In formal evening wear, they were the total opposite to the parental figures usually seen around the facility but tonight had to be special.  
'Your Majesty, Queen Anisha Trimal, distinguished Senators, honoured Jedi, friends and supporters of the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility, I welcome you all to the evening entertainment. All day my sons have been working hard to show the galaxy just how far they have come since the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility was first opened. Already you have seen them out and about, following their hearts into hundreds of different hobbies and talents. You have heard our musicians, seen the products of painters, sculptors and dozens of other artisans. You have witnessed our poets and playwrights, applauded our dancers and sampled the fine foods that our cooks are able to create now. You were all there to enjoy the parade, applauding the efforts of my sons as they paraded on the plaza for your entertainment. But tonight, my sons are going to show yet another side to what they have learnt. You have seen their childish delight and their strict discipline, now it is time for you to witness their culture and dignity. Tonight, they wish to show their best behaviour and prove that they are more than just soldiers and sons.' Emily announced, so proud of her sons for all they were trying to achieve tonight.

#~#~^~#~#

Gathered on the third stage of six, the first act for the night was a little nervous but they were ready to face the public as a group, drawing strength from each other. Relaxing even more when Renard joined them, staying in the wings but there if they fumbled, they stepped forward and took their places, waiting for the curtains to be swept aside so they could kick off the night with a song that all their brothers could understand. Now they would see if the public could understand what they were trying to say.

Dressed in a slightly more formal version of their usual fatigues, the five singers would get changed later. For now, it was important to show their outsider status, as much as they didn't want to be outsiders among the people of the galaxy.  
'And so, without further ado, please put your hands together for our first act.' Emily's voice rang out, the curtains parting and the lights blazing to life as she spoke. Standing shoulder to shoulder, heads held high, the brothers started to sway slowly, in rhythm with the beat coming through the speakers all around the room. 

In true harmony, voices lifting as one voice, Rex, Cutup, Boost, Boil and Cody showed no sign of how much this song resonated with each brother. They did want to know more about civilian life in general, they wanted to learn about the people they served and protected but no one was willing to teach them. No one except their buir and bavodu'e but they knew little more than the clones about this galaxy and all the civilians.

Whatever you do, I'll do it too  
Show me everything and tell me how  
It all means something  
And yet nothing to me 

I can see there's so much to learn  
It's all so close and yet so far  
I see myself as people see me  
Oh, I just know there's something bigger out there 

I wanna know, can you show me  
I wanna know about these  
Strangers like me  
Tell me more, please show me  
Something's familiar about these strangers like me 

Every gesture, every move that she makes  
Makes me feel like never before  
Why do I have  
This growing need to be beside her 

Ooo, these emotions I never knew  
Of some other world far beyond this place  
Beyond the trees, above the clouds  
I see before me a new horizon 

I wanna know, can you show me  
I wanna know about these strangers like me  
Tell me more, please show me  
Something's familiar about these strangers like me 

Come with me now to see my world  
Where there's beauty beyond your dreams  
Can you feel the things I feel  
Right now, with you  
Take my hand  
There's a world I need to know 

I wanna know, can you show me  
I wanna know about these strangers like me  
Tell me more, please show me  
Something's familiar about these strangers like me 

...I wanna know

Bowing their heads, the group waited for the lights to go out before turning and leaving the stage, hoping that at least one person heard the message and responded appropriately.

#~#~^~#~#

Waiting for the crowd to settle a little, Aloysius took his spot on the walkway leading from the main stage out into the crowd and stood quietly, listening for his cue from the darkened stage. Catching the soft tap, Aloysius nodded and started to play, weaving his magic around the crowd. He'd always had a talent for music, his mother had fostered it in him when he was young but Army life got in the way and he gave it up. Only to pick it up again in the most unusual of situations, a long, long way from home with no chance to ever go back. Swaying slowly in time with his song, Aloysius closed his eyes as the spotlight landed on him, highlighting the retired Bounty Hunter with a knack for classical violin.

Moving subtly in time with the music, Aloysius could almost hear his mother calling to him, her voice soft and pure as the music she had worked so hard to perfect wrapped around the gathering, drawing them into the story. At first it was restricted, a helpless babe with no sense of what it could become, wailing when it needed for something.

From behind him, more violins joined his song, clones emerging from the darkness around the stage to line up behind him, adding more voices to the cry from Aloysius' well loved instrument. Eyes down turned, they played on with him, occasionally one rising above the others but those rises never lasted more than a few bars.

Slowly it grew, expanding into new realisations and gaining a voice, whirling and dancing around merrily as a child should. Growing stronger, the music matured in stages, marking each precious stage of life. It loved and cherished, learned, challenged and discovered then finally rebelled, constantly evolving and redefining what it was.

More clones came out of the shadows, lining the walkway and starting to fill the stage, setting the exhibition hall ringing with the voices of those silenced for too long. Twisting their stories together, they played on, pouring out their thoughts and feelings without ever saying a word.

Constantly building up, it gained new strength and confidence, leaving behind the teenaged years and turning into a man, tall and unshaken by anything that came against it. Then it wavered for a moment, losing part of what made it special. But quickly the music recovered, finding a new rhythm to call its own as it soared again, building new sections and finding a way to survive even when everything was trying to destroy it for good.

Lowering his violin, Aloysius stepped down off the walkway and sat on the stairs, looking up at his sons as they carried the song alone, telling their own stories in harmony with their brothers. Seated on the platform to the rear of the stage, several brothers with cellos and double basses added to the harmony, lifting up the song and carrying it further than anyone had ever dreamed possible. The boys had gone far beyond Aloysius' expectations too, telling their varying stories in perfect harmony, grief and joy all coming together to define each one of the fifty men playing.

#~#~^~#~#

Swallowing nervously as he left his spot at one of the tables, Tup adjusted his collar and wound his way through the gathering. He didn't really like this part of the celebrations, he thought he looked silly in his tuxedo, a short purple cape pinned to his shoulders, hair allowed to hang free around his face but Emily had said he looked handsome and promised that he'd only be in the spotlight for a few minutes before he could disappear back into the brothers gathered around.

Gathering his courage, he approached Duchess Satine and offered out his hand with all the grace he could muster, idly noting how easily his brothers were handling the situation they had been asked to manage for tonight.  
'Might I have the honour of this dance, Duchess?' he asked, dipping his head respectfully.  
'Just this one.' Satine agreed, placing her hand in his and standing. 'I do hope your mother taught you properly.'  
'Not my buir, ba'vodu Jean-Claude taught us.' Tup replied, leading Satine onto the dance floor and resting his hand on her waist lightly.  
'Buir wants to know if you'd rather swap partners.' Dogma uttered, chin resting on Tup's shoulder lightly.  
'I can do this Dogma. Buir chose me for a reason.' Tup replied, glancing over his shoulder to see who Dogma was dancing with. 'Perhaps later, Senator Amidala.'  
'I would like that.' Padmé nodded, allowing Dogma to guide her away.

On cue with the band, Tup joined in with the hundreds of other couples on the dance floor, leading Satine flawlessly around in a stately waltz. He was still nervous about dancing with someone of such importance but he refused to falter. He had to keep his head up and give his all to impressing the Duchess.

Knowing how important it was to keep up a good connection with the locals, Jean-Claude made the choice to personally dance with the Queen, having purposefully cleaned up just for this night. His usually shaggy hair and beard had been cut into the latest fashion in Aldera, giving him a very distinguished look as he gently held her to his chest, war calloused hands so light on her body.  
'For a man so large, you are certainly light on your feet, good Sir.' Anisha smiled, so safe and content in his arms.  
'Where I come from, a man is not considered fully mature if he cannot dance properly.' Jean-Claude replied, gliding smoothly across the floor and avoiding all the other couples.

Smiling softly at her current dance partner, Emily swept around the floor gracefully, always keeping one eye on her sons as she enjoyed her time with Senator Organa. As the clone mother, she was expected to make good on several promises to the people that had supported her efforts. She'd been surprised when all that Senator Organa asked for was a few dances and a chance to get to know her better. Emily half expected he was interested in her as a lover but she wasn't going to play that game with him. She had little time alone as it was.

Sitting at one of the tables near the stage, content to watch his brothers dancing and brushing shoulders with Senators and royalty alike, 99 nearly jumped out of his skin when Senator Riyo Chuchi approached him, a soft smile on her face and blue skin complimented beautifully by her silver dress.  
'Might I have this dance?' she asked, offering her hand to 99 slowly.  
'I do not dance Senator, I am sorry.' 99 replied, shaking his head sadly. 'This broken body will not allow me such activities.'  
'I would be honoured to accompany you, Ma'am.' Kix offered, getting to his feet.  
'I do not know how to dance, either. I thought we could just stand on a corner of the floor and turn slowly.' Riyo suggested, glancing up at Kix for a moment before turning her warm gaze to 99 again.  
'I…I'd like that, Senator.' 99 nodded, feeling no pressure to get up but he wanted to get more involved with the evening.  
'I will save a dance for you.' Riyo grinned, looking up at Kix again before allowing 99 to guide her to the dance floor.  
'Thank you, Ma'am.' Kix replied, returning to his seat happily.

Gliding across the dance floor with Obi-Wan, Veronique smiled warmly at the sight of 99 and Riyo Chuchi rocking and turning in slow circles, barely taking up any space at all. They looked so happy together, lost in their own little world and enjoying an innocent moment of fun.  
'You seem distracted, Veronique.' Obi-Wan muttered, leading her through a quick turn.  
'I was just watching 99; I did not think he would come onto the dance floor.' Veronique replied, drawing Obi-Wan's attention to the happy pair.  
'He does seem happy over there.' Obi-Wan agreed, altering his steps to swirl them closer to the unlikely partnership.

#~#~^~#~#

Mingling with their supporters and generally having a good time, pretty much all the clones on Alderaan took their turn on the stages around the exhibition hall, sharing their special skills in a more respectful situation. They were all on their best behaviour, constantly moving around the gathering and making their stories known to as many people as possible. But there was still time for play and the elder brothers made sure that their younger brothers were given just as much attention as everyone else.

Dear little Angel, favoured by so many of his brothers, was happily pottering around in his hoverchair, making friends with the dignitaries and letting them see his surgery scars. He felt no shame in talking discussing his life and all the challenges he faced, he even spoke proudly of the surgeries he had yet to face, hoping for more mobility and independence but for now, he was happy with what he had.

Slick, well he wasn't handling the grand exhibition quite so well. Long hair falling in his face, he stuck to Emily's side no matter where she went, constantly fearful of losing her in the crowd. Emily understood his fear and encouraged him to stay close by asking him to carry the end of her long cloak so it didn't drag on the floor. Slick took to his job happily, sitting beside her whenever she stopped to talk with someone.

Tup got a bit of a fright just after his solo song, sending him scrambling through the crowd to take shelter beside Rufus, huddled in close and looking around timidly. No one pushed for details, the parental figures just reorganised their positions and made sure he was never on his own for the rest of the evening.

Keeping one eye on the donations pouring into their accounts, from generous people all across the galaxy, David was surprised by just how eager people were to help the clones, once they knew how to best lend their support. Credits were pouring in from every Republic planet and even some of the neutral worlds were getting behind them. A lot of people were asking where they could leave donations of clothing and furniture as well, David replied to their messages in turn, asking people to put their donations on transports for Alderaan, clearly marked for the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility. 

Looking up from her conversation with Kit Fisto when Palette came up and lightly tapped her on the shoulder, Emily smiled as he leant in to whisper in her ear. Nodding slowly, she whispered what she wanted done and turned her attention back to Kit.  
'You will have to excuse me, Master Fisto. I am needed on the auction stage.' Emily smiled, getting to her feet and waiting for Slick to get organised before heading for the outer hall where the goods in the secret auction were displayed.

Sweeping back into the main hall a few minutes later, Emily headed straight for the central stage, six of her sons in line behind her, each one carrying a large covered item. Accepting Palette's hand as she climbed the stairs, Emily gathered up her flowing skirt and stepped up onto the raised podium in the middle of the portable stage, Slick pausing to arrange her skirt neatly before he stepped off the stage. One by one, her six sons stepped up onto the smaller stage, cradling their items gently in both arms. Head held high, Palette made his way around the stage, removing the covers to reveal the Sleeping Seniors painting set, each one in the hands of the model that had so patiently posed for them.  
'These six paintings have caused quite a stir today. There have been quite a few bids from people all across the galaxy who would very much like to take these six magnificent pieces home for their personal enjoyment. I have heard many compliments about the set, a lot of you have been curious as to who painted these wonders. Well now I can proudly announce that it was Palette of the 104th that produced these six paintings for the auction tonight. He spent many months travelling the galaxy to get the sketches done and match the fine details to make each piece a true representation of the brothers depicted.' Emily announced, a spotlight landing on Palette as he stood by the stage.

Humbled by the applause erupting from the crowd all around him, Palette raised his hands in thanks, amazed that his works were so deeply appreciated by so many people. Not just Senators and diplomats just Jedi and ordinary citizens as well. He'd done what few brothers could be said to have done, he'd reached out to every level of civilian life and touched them all.  
'Thank you, I had no idea my talent would cause such a reaction from the people of this galaxy. I have had a few people mention they would like to commission artworks, I will be able to accept a few but I ask for your patience. My duty must come first.' Palette smiled, acknowledging the applause and wondering just how much work he was likely to pick up from this.

Ever patient, Emily waited for the applause to calm again before accepting the ornately folded page from Palette. Unfolding it carefully, she read the name written on it and nodded, quite pleased with the home these paintings would find with the final purchaser.  
'As you know, we have been running a secret auction for some of the best paintings and sculptures made by my sons. The final winner of each piece has been established and names placed on the items. But these six paintings deserve special attention for their fine quality and exceptional subject matter. Here in my hand I have the name of the final purchaser of these six fine artworks.' Emily declared, holding up the page for all to see. 'And the winner is…Senator Riyo Chuchi of Pantora!'

Spotlight flicking on to find the Senator in the crowd, she stood and clasped her hands over her mouth, amazed that her bid had secured the set for her personal residence on Coruscant. Making her way through the crowd, escorted by 99, she approached the center stage as Emily stepped down, the warmest smile on her face.  
'Your credits will go towards many improvements for my sons, Senator. We thank you for your generosity.' Emily offered, bowing low in respect.  
'They will look very good in my apartment on Coruscant, Emily.' Riyo replied, looking up at the men still carrying their portraits. 'Palette, I wish to commission another work from you.'  
'Of course, Ma'am. Did you have anything in particular in mind?' Palette nodded, digging out his notebook from his inside pocket.  
'Something to match these six. I was hoping 99 might pose for one.' Riyo uttered, warm eyes on 99 as she spoke.  
'I…uh…I would be honoured, Senator.' 99 gulped, nervous about the idea but he'd give it a go.  
'You don't have to if you do not wish to, 99.' Emily promised, drawing him in against her side lovingly. 'Do not feel as though you must do this if you do not wish to.'  
'I know I am not perfect, buir, but if Senator Chuchi wishes to have this damaged body on her wall, I can withstand the discomfort.' 99 nodded, looking up at Emily with a smile.  
'I'm due on rotation in two months, I can make a start on it then. Palette offered, resting his hand on 99's shoulder lightly. 'Don't worry, vod, it's all about what you're comfortable showing.'  
'Thanks vod.' 99 uttered, relaxing against Emily's side. 'Buir, when does the first wagon go back home? I'm tired.'  
'It should be soon, 99. Ba'vodu Ralph is just over there, he'll know exactly when.' Emily soothed, lightly running her hand over 99's back.  
'I think I will buir.' 99 nodded, drawing away and making his way through the gathering.  
'So young and yet an old man.' Emily sighed, shaking her head slowly. 'Senator, my sons here will carry the paintings to your transport or accommodation if it is close by.'  
'Maksis will show you to my transport but for now, perhaps they would be safer in here, where so many sons can keep an eye on them.' Riyo suggested, gaze sweeping over the six paintings that would soon decorate her home.  
'A wise idea, Senator.' Emily agreed, turning to her sons. 'Go and put them back in the case, my dear boys. Make sure no one can steal them from Senator Chuchi while we are all here enjoying this night.'

#~#~^~#~#

It was well after midnight by the time the exhibitions were all over and the items in the secret auction were all paid for and taken away. Most of the clones had already headed home, taking their places on the convoys of speeders and transporters taking everything back to the compound. The rest of the parental team had gone back as well, taking charge of tucking the youngsters in and making sure everyone got their bedtime stories.

Now it was just Emily and some of her eldest sons, everyone exhausted but they were trying to be the gracious hosts, as much as most of them wanted to just curl up and sleep. Rallying her sons, Emily stood tall and offered their sincere thanks to all that had come to share their day before bidding their guests goodnight and striding outside with her sons.  
'Milady, a gift from our great Queen.' one of the local guards offered, holding out a neatly folded bundle of golden fur.  
'Bly, be a dear and run back to thank Queen Anisha for this.' Emily directed, accepting the bundle gently.  
'Elek buir.' Bly nodded, turning and running back to where he'd last seen the Queen.

Unfolding the bundle, Emily was astounded by what had been so freely given. It was a long cloak of golden fur, the facility insignia embroidered on the back in purple and the front edged in narrow velvet stripes in all the colours of the units in the GAR.  
'Allow me, buir.' Wolffe smiled, taking the cloak and holding it open for her.  
'Thank you Wolffe.' Emily nodded, allowing him to help her slip into the heavy cloak. 'This will be for special occasions only, it is far too nice for daily wear.'  
'You do look very beautiful wearing it buir.' Gree added, admiring how the cloak looked on her.

Returning to his mother at a much more sedate pace, Bly paused to admire his mother in all her finery before returning to his place beside her.  
'I spoke with Queen Anisha, buir. She is glad you like the cloak and promised that the other nine would be ready very soon.' Bly reported, daring to touch the fine fur now covering Emily's shoulders. 'She said it was her way of thanking you for choosing to set up such a wonderful home for all of us on her homeworld.'  
'It was not my choice but of all the worlds it could have been, I am glad it was Alderaan.' Emily shrugged, drawing her new cloak tighter around her body. 'Come now, my dear boys, it is late and we really should be getting home.'


	24. Extended Family

'Buir, there's something I think you should know. There's a brother out there, one who knows nothing of your love. He deserted the GAR just after the First Battle for Geonosis and has been hiding ever since. He has a good life, hard but nothing he cannot handle, with his wife and children but I feel that his life could be better if he knew your love. I wanted to tell him but I couldn't find the right words to fully explain how much you brighten our lives just by existing. I met him on Saleucami; I know you remember that mission. I wrote out the coordinates from my HUD map, just in case you decided to go and find him.'

Looking at the page Rex had given her during his last rotation, Emily wasn't sure what to do. Part of her wanted to go and find this missing son but she had no way to know how he would react to her claims. If he truly knew nothing of her position as the clone mother, there was a good chance his reaction to her presence would not be positive.

But her maternal instincts could not ignore the desperate plea in Rex's voice. He felt such pity for his missing brother, for all he was missing out on while he was separated from his family and for the love he was missing out on. On the back of the page Rex had given her, he'd written out all the details he knew of this missing brother.

Number - CT-2157  
Name - Cut Lawquane  
Dependants - Suu (wife), Jekk (son), Shaeeah (daughter)  
Status - deserter  
New occupation - farmer

It wasn't a lot to go on, but Emily had chased vaguer leads back in the day. Going alone was not a smart idea, she would need help to convince Cut she was really someone he should know. But who to take along on the journey? She would need Rufus, unless she was going to waste time waiting around for transport to Saleucami. But he alone would not be enough to convince Cut. She would need to take a couple of her sons on the journey to help sell the story.

#~#~^~#~#

Choices made, the group heading for Saleucami packed their bags and organised everything they would need to get along for a month away from the colony. Emily hoped they would not be away that long but there was no way to know how long it would take to convince Cut of their story. After much thought, she selected seven brothers to come on the journey with her, scattering their ages and abilities to give a pretty good cross section of the sons she cared for.

This journey would test them all; no one knew for sure how it would go with eight onboard for a fairly long flight. Emily was reasonably sure she'd be able to keep the youngsters happy, providing no one caused too much of a fuss. The eldest son coming with them got to sit in the co-pilot's chair, leaving Emily on the flor with her younger sons but that suited her just fine.

Loading up the last of their supplies and bidding a fond farewell to those staying behind, the sleek black fighter launched heavenward, bearing the nine away on a new adventure that they could only guess about. They hoped to bring home a lost son and his family but no one knew if they would be successful.

#~#~^~#~#

Sitting in the hold of the small ship, Emily smiled happily at her sons, gathered around her quietly. 99 was relaxed in the co-pilot seat, passing the time with a new cook book. Fox sat beside him on the floor, planning out several new pieces he hoped to make to fill several orders piling up from Senators and dignitaries across the galaxy. Slick sat beside Emily, art book spread on his knees and his favourite box of crayons by his hip. Angel relaxed in Emily's lap, near useless left arm pinning his book open as he drew a memory of home for her. Shadow tucked in close to Emily as well, practising his Braille with a favourite book. Hope leant back against the inner bulkhead nearby, humming quietly as he stroked his fingers over what remained of his left leg. Tinker was dozing peacefully on a mat against the port inner bulkhead, quiet for now but Emily expected him to wake up screaming again.

Together they covered most of the trouble the parental group had to face every day. The blind, the deaf, brain injuries, war wounds, physical disabilities and deformities (99's preferred term for his body), reconditioned and regressed and of course, the physical peak of a highly trained combat veteran.  
'Hope, I know you're comfortable there but would you shuffle over to be with Tinker in case he wakes up.' Emily guided, looking up from Angel's artwork.  
'Of course, buir.' Hope nodded, pushing off the wall and crawling over to sit by Tinker. 'Sleep ori'vod, I'm here.'  
'Buir, will you sing for us?' Shadow asked, looking up from his book.

Looking down at Shadow, innocent brown eyes staring blankly past her shoulder, Emily smiled and drew him closer, leaning down to kiss his shaggy hair lovingly. Burrowing closer, Shadow sighed softly as relaxed, sightless eyes closing slowly. There was only one song for her sons, one that echoed their pain and hers each time another group of war scarred and tormented men were dumped unceremoniously on her doorstep. Cuddling Shadow against her side and pressing a soft kiss to Angel's hair, Emily smiled and found her song, letting it out to fill the small ship.

Last night I had the strangest dream  
I'd ever dreamed before  
I dreamed the world had all agreed  
To put an end to war  
I dreamed I saw a mighty room  
Filled with women and men  
And the paper they were signing said  
They'd never fight again  
And when the paper was all signed  
And a million copies made  
They all joined hands and bowed their heads  
And grateful pray'rs were prayed  
And the people in the streets below  
Were dancing 'round and 'round  
While swords and guns and uniforms  
Were scattered on the ground  
Last night I had the strangest dream  
I'd never dreamed before  
I dreamed the world had all agreed  
To put an end to war.

Blinking back tears, Emily smiled faintly and peered over Angel's shoulder; looking at the pretty garden he'd drawn to fill the page.  
'But buir, if there was no more war, what would we do for a living? It's all we know.' Fox asked, looking down at his design book.  
'It's a mother's prerogative to worry for her children when they are away at war, Fox. I worry for all my sons, never knowing who will be in the next batch of injured to be delivered. I know you are all trained for war but that makes it no easier to bear the pain of knowing I could lose you at any time.' Emily explained, trying not to scare her younger sons with her answer.  
'We all worry, Fox. We slap on a smile and enjoy every day but inside, we all know that certain boys won't be coming home again and others will be forever harmed by this accursed war. I was a soldier once, before I met you all and there were many days when I couldn't hold my weapon straight, I was so afraid for what might be around the corner.' Rufus added, glancing down to where Fox was sitting. 'Now I see it from the other side, the anxious parent waiting for their child to come home again. It's a gut wrenching thing; I hate the wondering about the next casualty listing.'  
'I never really thought about it like that, ba'vodu.' Fox uttered, leaning back on his hands to look up at Rufus. 'I'll try not to be one you have to worry about.'  
'Fox, every minute you're not at home, I worry. Alderaan is the only safe place; anywhere else is a danger zone.' Rufus shrugged, reaching down to ruffle Fox's hair. 'That said, your posting is one of the safest. Try to spend a few minutes each day thinking about your batch-brothers and where they are in the wider galaxy. Then you'll really understand.'  
'I will, ba'vodu. I always thought the 501st got the hardest posting, we all know how tough General Skywalker is on his men.' Fox nodded, leaning into the loving contact a little more.

#~#~^~#~#

Squeezing in beside Rufus as he eased their craft down towards the house right where Rex's coordinates said it would be, Emily gasped at the sight of the place. It was a ramshackle place, the house and barn built from whatever was to hand. It was nicely maintained, everything neat and tidy but it still looked decrepit and worn due to the building materials.  
'I figured we could set down just to the east of the barn, there looks like there's enough space.' Rufus suggested, holding them steady as Emily scanned the ground.  
'Try to go out a little further without tagging that fence line. We don't want to crowd the Lawquane family.' Emily nodded, pointing out the fence line.  
'HUD states we can get right on top of that fence without tagging anything. Scanners indicate we'll have six inches clearance on the cropped side if we set down with the wheels just on this side of the fence.' Rufus briefed, easing towards his chosen landing spot. 'Hold on back there, we're coming in for a landing.'

Watching his HUD as Emily moved back to gather Angel and Shadow into her embrace, Rufus eased them down gently, checking distances and making sure he wasn't going to land on anything. Slipping to the right a little, he left a little more distance between the landing gear and the fence before settling down with barely a bump.  
'Nicely done Rufus.' Emily praised, handing Shadow off to Slick and standing. 'Ramp clear.'  
'Copy that, ramp lowering.' Rufus nodded, dropping the bay ramp and reaching up to open the cockpit. 'I'll be right around to help with the kids.'  
'Thanks Rufus. It's not easy handling this group on my own.' Emily grinned, relaxing a little as Fox came back and gently scooped Shadow into his arms. 'Even with a few older brothers around to help out.'

Poking his head back up through the rear hatch, Rufus reached up to accept Angel, cuddling him close and protecting his head as he ducked out of sight. Ducking out from under the sleek fighter, Rufus gently set the youngster down on the grass before turning back to collect Slick. Fox was already on his way down though, Shadow held to his left side and Slick holding his right hand as they carefully picked their way down the ramp.  
'Can you get at the hoverchair Emily?' Rufus asked, glancing over his shoulder. 'Stay with your vode for now, Fox.'  
'We'll keep them safe, ba'vodu.' 99 promised, hobbling over to join the group sitting just inside the ring.  
'Elek, ba'vodu.' Fox nodded, settling down beside Angel and resting Shadow in his lap.  
'Not just yet, gotta get the camping gear out first.' Emily replied, waiting for Hope and Tinker to clear the ramp before tossing down two of the tents they'd brought along. 'Might as well make a start on setting camp.'  
'Remind me again how many tents we packed.' Rufus grinned, flicking the first two tents around behind the ramp.  
'Five and be grateful for that. I was tempted to make you sleep in the Raven.' Emily shot back, lobbing down the rest of the tents. 'You snore loud enough the wake the Geonosis dead, even at this distance.'  
'Not with that new device that Kit got me, dunno how well it works but it's supposed to stop the racket.' Rufus chuckled, reaching up to start accepting the duffels belonging to each of the boys on their journey.

Setting camp in the evening dim, keeping the tents tucked in as close as possible to the fighter. Rufus and Emily took the tents at each end, Emily under the nose and Rufus under the atmospheric thrusters. Fox and 99 took the tent in the middle, heads to the tent flap so they could go scrambling to help any brother in need. Tinker set up in the tent nearer to Rufus, Angel shuffling in to join him once his hoverchair was set on the charger outside. Hope and Shadow ended up in the tent beside Emily, setting out their things and making the best of the situation. It came as no surprise to anyone that Slick settled his belongings in Emily's tent, taking up just enough space to be comfortable.

Sharing a simple meal around a small campfire built just beyond the system ring, the family were relaxed but wary, constantly alert for anyone coming too close to their camp. But for all their training and practise, it wasn't the elder clones or their guardians to pick up on someone slinking closer.  
'Buir, I hear someone. South east, moving slowly. One man, his step is light as a warrior. No armour, loose fitting clothes.' Shadow uttered, head cocked to the side as he listened intently.  
'Stay here, ner ade.' Emily directed, getting to her feet. 'Rufus, be sharp.'  
'Always Emily.' Rufus whispered, drawing out his pistols and shifting into a crouch as he handed one to Fox. 'Watch my back, ad.'  
'Elek ba'vodu.' Fox nodded, taking the weapon and turning to keep watch on the other side of their gathering.

Tracking the sound of the man Shadow had identified, Emily managed to creep up on him from behind. Lunging forward, she wrapped her arms around him and turned sharply, throwing them both to the ground. Rolling over, she grabbed the carbine in his hands and pinned it to the ground with both hands, stopping him from doing anything stupid.  
'Peace, friend. Our ship lost power, we were forced to make an emergency landing. We are willing to pay for the use of your land.' Emily soothed, releasing her grip and sitting back. 'We will also pay for any damages to your property and crops.'  
'You…your voice…have we met before, stranger?' the man asked, trying to peer at Emily's hooded face in the dim light.  
'No, I have never been this far from the core worlds before. Have you ever been to Alderaan?' Emily replied, playing her cards close to her chest.  
'I've spent my entire life in the outer rim.' he shrugged, drawing his weapon back in close. 'You sound so familiar, I thought our paths might have crossed somewhere.'  
'Come the morn, we will figure it out. I must get back to my sons, they will be worried for my safety.' Emily sighed, getting to her feet and reaching down to haul him up as well.  
'I will warn my wife of your presence. She does not react well to strangers.' he nodded, brushing off his pants and securing his weapon.  
'Good night and good dreams to you this night, stranger.' Emily whispered, turning and disappearing into the darkening shadows.

#~#~^~#~#

Still wary of the strangers that had appeared on his property the night before, Cut stepped out of the house and looked towards where he knew the unusual ship had landed. It was still there, black and intimidating as it sat silently near one of the dividing fences. Warning Suu and their children to stay inside, he grabbed his carbine and headed down the stairs, wondering what was with this ship and the strangers onboard. The ship appeared undamaged, there was no reason it would need to make an emergency landing but the woman he had spoken to said it lost power so perhaps something was wrong. Shaking his head, Cut kept his weapon to hand as he made his way past the barn to go and see what their guests had to say this morning.

Approaching the fighter, Cut got quite a surprise. He couldn't see the woman anywhere but something told him that she was still around. Instead, there were eight men sitting around a small campfire, the tallest one talking softly as he cooked breakfast for the group of clones of all ages sitting around. There could be no mistaking it, Cut recognised his brothers even at this distance and it scared him.

He almost turned and ran but then he saw her, gliding down the ramp at the rear of the ship. Dressed in simple blue pants, knee length black boots and a white tee-shirt, hair covered with a length of purple cloth, she smiled and approached the clones sitting around the fire, bending down to kiss each one on the forehead as she spoke to them quietly. Cut couldn't hear her words but he could see her lips moving.

Lifting her gaze, she saw Cut and smiled, beckoning him closer to the group. Frozen to the spot, Cut stared in disbelief and wonder as she sat among the clones and shared their breakfast, smiling and laughing freely. Not even aware that he was moving, Cut crept closer to her, watching his brothers closely for any sign of hostility. He was an outsider, he'd turned his back on them and deserted the GAR yet here they were, unconcerned about his past behaviour as they sat around a campfire.

Courage deserting him again, Cut stopped then backed up, torn between the family he had now and the brothers he'd known in the past. He wanted to run back to the house and hold Suu in his arms as they watched the children play but he couldn't turn his back on his brothers again. He wanted to go over to his brothers and find acceptance there but he couldn't abandon his family, they needed him.

The choice was taken out of his hands though. The woman was there in front of him, a warm smile on her face as she reached out to lightly touch his cheek, so gentle as she glided her soft hand over his stubble.  
'Forgive my misleading you last night. The time was not right for us to reveal our true reason for being out here. Emily uttered, noting the way Cut relaxed under her touch. 'We have much to discuss, ner ad.'  
'I will not leave ner aliit, buir.' Cut replied, indicating the house behind them.  
'I would not ask it of you.' Emily promised, lowering her hand. 'For now, go back to your riduur and ade, tell them whatever you wish about us. Once we have finished breakfast and everyone is clean and dressed for the day, we will come and find you. But be warned, ner ad, not all of your brothers that came with me are as physically capable as you are.'  
'I understand, buir.' Cut nodded, catching her hand gently. 'I will carry your words to my family.'  
'How old are your children now, ad?' Emily asked, squeezing his fingers lovingly.  
'Shaeeah is eight, Jekk just turned five.' Cut replied, curiosity lighting his gaze.  
'Shadow is seven, perhaps he will be a suitable playmate for your children. He is blind but he has never let that stop him.' Emily explained, glancing back over her shoulder.  
'I will suggest him to my children and warn them to be thoughtful to his situation.' Cut promised, drawing away slowly. 'We will be waiting, buir.'  
'Take this, as proof of my words.' Emily guided, removing he cloth from her hair and holding it out. 'I have no reason to believe the Alderaan gala was not seen this far out.'  
'We saw it, buir.' Cut grinned, accepting the cloth and unfolding it quickly. There in the middle, in bright yellow embroidery, was the symbol for the rest facility on Alderaan.

Securing the cloth to the strap crossing his chest, Cut let his gaze linger on his brothers for a moment longer before turning and heading back to the house. He briefly worried that Suu would not accept this change, she always got worried when Cut talked of his brothers but perhaps this time would be different.

#~#~^~#~#

Not sure how Emily would react to his family once she saw them up close, Cut sat calmly on the front porch and waited, always keeping one eye on Shaeeah and Jekk as they ran on the grass near the house, playing innocent games as all children should.  
'I still do not understand why you feel such a connection to this woman. She goes by the title of clone mother but you said yourself, there is no such thing.' Suu remarked, settling down beside him. 'How can you be so certain of her intentions?'  
'I don't know how to explain it, Suu. I saw her when I was watching the highlights of the Alderaan gala. I know her, even though I have never met her personally. She promises everything a clone could dream of, if they're just willing to accept her love and find their way home. I know this is my home but sometimes, some nights I wish I hadn't left my brothers.' Cut sighed, hanging his head. 'It's not the fighting, I'm glad to be away from that. It's the little things, the things that make brotherhood so special.'  
'What things Cut?' Suu asked, shuffling closer to lean against his side. 'Help me understand this.'  
'it's knowing you've always got someone watching your back and having someone to talk to that understands your nightmares and knows how to help. Its wild sparring matches and quiet moments talking about nothing. Nights out drinking and nights in playing cards, getting in trouble and facing it together because no one dobs in a brother.' Cut tried to explain but he knew he'd missed it. 'It's hard to explain, brotherhood is what it is.'

Looking up at the sound of happy voices approaching, Cut sat up a little more and draped one arm around Suu's back, waiting to see what would happen. His brothers were all in various civilian clothes, laughing and having a good time as they followed Emily and an even taller man towards the house. Getting his first really good look at the brothers Emily had brought along, Cut understood her warning about lacking his physical capabilities. One on crutches, another in a hoverchair, one with several thick scars on the right side of his head, one wearing a folded cloth over his eyes and one disfigured and aged far beyond expected. Two seemed pretty much normal, but there was something about one of them that wasn't quite right.

Spreading out a blanket on the grass just near the house, the taller man took a knee and gathered the group to him, guiding the seven brothers down until they were all settled quietly, distracted by a variety of books and art projects. Leaving the group sitting quietly, Emily jumped up onto the porch to sit beside Cut, watching her sons as they relaxed in the morning sun.  
'You recognise at least one of these boys, don't you Cut?' Emily asked, glancing at him with a grin. 'Possibly two or three judging by the age in your eyes.'  
'Every clone remembers 99, he's been there from the beginning. I recognise Fox too, he was a Lieutenant when I knew him though.' Cut nodded, tightening his grip on Suu. 'Buir, this is my riduur, Suu.'  
'One day, I hope to see more of my sons getting married. You are a lucky man Cut.' Emily grinned, leaning forward a little. 'It is a pleasure to meet you, Suu.'  
'You will not get my husband without a fight.' Suu warned, still very mistrustful of Emily.  
'I have no intention of taking Cut from you, Suu. If he wishes to join his brothers, you will all be welcomed with open arms. If he chooses to stay here, we will do what we can to support him.' Emily shrugged, making her stance clear. 'There is a patch of ground on Alderaan set aside in case you all decide to make the journey, a house is planned out and will be built as soon as confirmation is sent of your choice.'

Digging something out of his belt pouch, Fox stood and picked his way past his brothers, a small case of white velvet held lightly in one hand. Gaze lowered, he approached Suu slowly, nervous eyes swinging towards Emily and Cut as he stopped in front of them.  
'In the hopes that we might find a peaceful, mutually beneficial solution to this, I present you with this token of our good intentions.' Fox uttered, holding out the flat case in both hands.  
'Good boy Fox, excellent manners.' Emily praised, motioning for Cut to be silent for the moment.  
'Thank you, Fox.' Suu nodded, taking the case and opening it carefully.

Eyes widening, she gently lifted out the ornate nine strand woven necklace, all done in white and pinks to match her skin. It was absolutely beautiful, glistening in the sun as she held it up to fully admire the construction of the strands and the way it was all woven together to support a facetted pink stone, exactly the same colour as her tattoos.  
'Did you make this, Fox?' she asked, lowering the necklace to look at him in amazement.  
'Yes, Ma'am. Buir teaches us all sorts of fun hobbies to share.' Fox nodded, keeping his gaze on the ground. 'Do you like it?'  
'It's beautiful Fox.' Suu praised, astounded by what he could produce. 'I have never seen anything like it before.'  
'Thank you Ma'am.' Fox flushed, still not used to the praise he always got for his jewellery.

Accepting the necklace, Cut turned and slipped it around Suu's throat, securing the double clip on the back to make sure it wouldn't come off in a hurry. It looked truly amazing against her bright pink skin, the white swirling design really standing out and lifting the pinks out as well.  
'Fox has quite a reputation with his jewellery. Jedi, Senators and civilians alike all wear his unique pieces. Each one is handmade, hours put into planning out the final look before a single bead is put on the wires.' Emily grinned, reaching into her collar to lift out her latest piece, done up in geometric gold and purple designs.  
'I do my best, buir.' Fox uttered, awkward with all the attention. 'Should I, buir?'  
'It's your choice, ad. If you don't feel comfortable, wait for a better moment.' Emily soothed, sliding off the porch and drawing Fox into a warm hug. 'It's always your choice.'

Holding Emily against his side with his right arm, Fox dug in his hip pouch again, handing her two small leather pouches before coming out with a slightly larger one. Tucking the smaller pouches into his pocket for safe keeping, he checked the contents of the larger pouch and nodded, satisfied that it was unharmed.

Cut didn't seem to know what to think as he was handed the larger pouch, a simple braided cord hanging over the top. Drawing out the cord, his jaw dropped at the large blue stone hanging from the cord, neatly wrapped in gold wire.  
'This is another of your works, vod?' Cut asked, fastening the cord around his neck.  
'Lek, vod. I found the stone in the creek that runs through the facility on Alderaan. I've been waiting for the right moment to use it.' Fox nodded, a little more relaxed as his second gift was gratefully accepted.  
'I'll treasure it, always.' Cut promised, humbled by the simple gift from one brother to another.  
'If anything happens to it, I can fix it easily enough.' Fox grinned, lifting out the two smaller pouches. 'These two are for your ade.'  
'That's very thoughtful, vod. I'm sure they'll appreciate the effort.' Cut praised, jumping down and guiding Fox over to where his two were playing.

Leaning back on her hands, constantly watching over her sons as they enjoyed the peace of Saleucami, Emily smiled fondly at her boys, quite pleased with how they were behaving. Normally when they had free time and Emily was unoccupied, her younger sons would be scrambling for her attention. But today, they seemed content to sit under Rufus' watch, allowing Emily some adult time.  
'You might not think it Suu, but I do know what it is like to mother young children. True, they will all grow up to look like Cut but each one is unique. Some, like Angel and Shadow, will never know what it is to follow their brothers. Angel will probably always need a hoverchair and Shadow has only known black. Others, among them Hope and Tinker, have seen the war and survived horrendous injuries. Hope stepped on a landmine and was lucky to survive. Tinker survived a week of Separatist interrogation. His hearing was taken from him and his mind damaged but he lives a fairly independent life now.' Emily explained, turning her gaze to Suu.  
'Did you want me for something, buir?' Shadow asked, setting his book down.  
'Do you think you can find your way over here, Shadow?' Emily grinned, always encouraging her vision impaired sons to try.  
'I think so, buir.' Shadow nodded, getting up and unhooking a small device from his belt. 'Buir?'  
'I'm right here, ad.' Emily replied, glancing at Suu again. 'Like any good mother, I foster their independence, regardless of their challenges.'

Turning on the device in his hand, Shadow listened to the sharp ping and nodded faintly before stepping forward, a determined look on his face. Checking his footing cautiously, he made his way across the grass, listening and turning towards Emily again when he strayed from the path. It was only a few meters between the blanket and the porch but for Shadow, it was a great achievement and proof that the locators worked.  
'Well done Shadow. I'm so proud of you.' Emily grinned, even more surprised when Shadow found the stairs and made his way up to sit in her lap.  
'Now that we know the locators work, maybe we can get more of them.' Shadow suggested, securing the device on his belt again.  
'I think that would be a very good idea, Shadow.' Emily agreed, stroking his hair softly.  
'Good morning, ba'vodu Suu.' Shadow chirped, lifting his covered gaze to her. 'Buir, do I need to wear my cover?'  
'Only if you want to wear it, Shadow.' Emily chuckled, reaching for the knot in the back.  
'I don't think I need it, buir.' Shadow replied, bowing his head as Emily untied the knot and withdrew the cloth. 'The sun feels nice, it's not as hot as on Alderaan.'  
'It's not as bright either.' Emily nodded, hugging her young son close.

Reaching out with a gentle hand, Suu took the reaching hand of young Shadow, amazed by just how similar he was to her own children. So full of youthful life and energy, a smile on his young face as he got on with a life of eternal darkness.  
'Welcome to our home, Shadow.' Suu greeted, stroking his arm lightly. 'I had no idea how sweet my husband was as a child.'  
'Yeah, they're cute when they're small. Mind you, I think they're rather handsome as men too but I'm perhaps a little biased on that.' Emily chuckled, enjoying the closeness with her young son.  
'Perhaps just a little, Emily.' Suu agreed, looking around to see where Cut had gone. Their kids were sitting nearby, curiously watching the other clones on the blanket but Cut had disappeared with Fox.  
'It's okay Suu, they've just gone for a walk.' Emily soothed, most of her attention on her own family. 'We have all become adept at sign language. While we were talking, Fox signed a message from where he was standing with Cut. They'll come back, just give them time.'  
'You really are a mother, Emily. Eyes everywhere.' Suu smiled, turning her attention to her children. 'I think this will work, once Shaeeah and Jekk get used to your sons.'  
'All in good time, Suu.' Emily replied, perfectly content to relax and let her sons enjoy the day.

#~#~^~#~#

Sitting on one of the boulders that had always been part of the landscape, Fox and Cut took a moment to simply appreciate life as they sat and watched the world pass them by.  
'I always wondered what happened to you, Cut. You were a promising soldier, probably would have made Lieutenant by now.' Fox remarked, turning to look at Cut.  
'Shortly after the Battle of Geonosis, our troop transport got caught between two Separatist gunships. They fired on us with everything they had. We crashed. Most of us were either dead or severely injured. So when they started working their way through the wounded, killing us off, I knew there was no hope. I ran. It still haunts me.' Cut sighed, hanging his head sadly. 'This isn't the first time I've had to confront my brothers about my desertion.'  
'I know. Rex was the first brother to find you out here. He only told buir about you because he was worried for you. He wanted you to have a chance to experience what we all know - buir's love.' Fox nodded, sitting up a little more. 'He kept his word though, only buir knows everything that Rex knows about you.'  
'What's it really like on Alderaan? I want to know what I'm getting into before I talk it over with Suu.' Cut asked, relaxing beside his brother.  
'It's paradise, vod. Given that you have a family, a private home will be built but you'll have access to all the same facilities and entertainment as everyone else. Whatever you want to try your hand at, someone will be there to teach you how. Apart from my beading, I'm taking vocalist classes with ba'vodu Renard and she says I'm one of her better students. Apparently some vode can't hold a tune.' Fox chuckled, shaking his head in wonder. 'Rex has an ear for singing too, he got a solo at the gala.'  
'I thought that was him. We only got the highlights out here but he sounded good. I had no idea any of us had an ear for music.' Cut chuckled, thinking back to the events he'd seen.  
'Not everyone does, some just don't have a gift for any sort of music but they have their own talents to offer. Our home is filled with paintings and drawings done by brothers, some of them now memorials to the fallen. We grow much of our own food, things similar to what this galaxy offers civilians but not quite the same because they are seeds that buir brought from her homeworld. There's a swimming pool where we can try out our newly learned abilities to swim, always under the watch of buir or our bavodu'e. The creek is always teeming with fish and those that bead can always find beautiful focal stones there. The lake is peaceful, another perfect place for fishing or swimming, so long as we're careful around the waterfall. There are trees to climb and ball games to play, hard packed tracks for us to ride our bicycles on and plenty of open spaces to just run free. We play paintball and go mud wrestling after the rains and there's always plenty of clay in the pit for sculpting and making a mess.' Fox continued, smiling softly at the memories. 'It's never a case of nothing to do, there's always fun to be had.'  
'Bicycles? Paintball? These are things I've never heard of.' Cut blinked, not sure what to make of such terms.  
'Buir suggested I bring mine so you could have a go, they're still on the fighter. We'll have to ask ba'vodu Rufus to help get them out, he packed everything in tight to make sure we'd all fit.' Fox grinned, sitting up again.  
'Later, vod. For now, just sit and relax, there will be time for games later.' Cut nodded, a little worried that maybe Fox was mentally unstable but he didn't think so.

#~#~^~#~#

Passing the time with innocent fun and much talk of Alderaan, everyone took the time to get to know each other better, wanting to know all the details before a decision was made. The youngsters played quietly on the grass out the front of the house, forgetting all about their different challenges as they played pretend games and threw the ball around together.

Perched on a low stool nearer to the house, 99 enjoyed the sun on his shoulders as he surrounded the extended family in music, swaying slowly as he played his accordion softly. It was a piece he'd composed himself, trying to put his life and family into music to be shared around the galaxy. It wasn't quite as beautiful as the violin piece Aloysius had written but it was special in its own way.

Gathered beside a portable holodisplay, Emily was busy showing Suu all that the facility on Alderaan had to offer, pointing out all the different things on offer and rotating the map as required. Emily even pointed out where the new home would be built once conformation was sent of their impending arrival. Suu had to admit, it was in a beautiful spot. Tall trees grew all around where their two-storey, stone house would be. Behind the house, four long, narrow fields were already ploughed in readiness, waiting for the new owners to come and take possession.

Sitting quietly in the shade, Fox took the time to work on some of his beading projects, his basic kit scattered around him as he worked on a piece that had been promised to Senator Chuchi. At his side, two completed pieces rested in velvet covered cases, one marked for Duchess Satine and the other for Barriss Offee. The two pieces were complete opposites, the one for the Duchess very ornate and full of gold and precious gems while the one for Barriss was a simple strand of bluish-grey beads on a black cord.

Coming back from the fighter with Rufus, Hope sat down beside 99 and accepted the case Rufus was carrying for him. Releasing the catches, he lifted out his violin and listened to 99 for a moment before starting to play, blending into the original song with practised ease. Lifting his gaze, 99 smiled and reached out to lightly run his hand through Hope's hair before going back to the song, truly at peace.

Curiosity piqued, Cut walked over to stretch out beside Tinker, watching the way he was creating some weird drawing that made absolutely no sense. It was just a mass of greys, lines and blocks of colour twisting together. Leaving Tinker to his art, Cut took a chance to really look at his brother, trying to understand why he was so withdrawn and quiet.

At first glance, he was just like every other clone, the same physical characteristics and general appearance. But looking closer, it became easier to see the emptiness in Tinker's gaze, the usual spark of life missing. No, not completely missing but it was barely there now. Wearing his hair longer than regs allowed, he tried to hide the scars marring his features but the thick scar tissue was still visible through his hair, four near straight lines carved deep into his flesh. Starting close together on the left side of his face; one on the forehead, two on his temple and one lower on his cheek. Spreading out, the scars arched back over his head, spreading out like fingers right over the back of his head. The one starting on his cheek slashed through his ear, scarring it severely as it continued around to the back.

Looking up from his art, Tinker gazed at Cut curiously, rolling onto his side to sign something that Cut couldn't understand.  
'He's asking your name.' Fox guided, watching the pair connecting. 'He doesn't read lips very well, you're going to need to learn real fast to make friends with Tinker.'  
'I'll give you a hand, Cut.' Hope called, putting his violin away and getting up onto his crutches.  
'Thanks Hope.' Cut nodded, turning his gaze back to Tinker and thinking for a moment.

Picking up one of the pencils arranged neatly beside Tinker's art book, Cut reached out to write his name on the corner of the page, hoping that the scars on Tinker's face hadn't impaired his ability to read. Noting the growing confusing in Tinker's dark eyes, Cut tapped at the name written on the page then touched his chest, trying to get the message across without words. Smiling crookedly, Tinker nodded and signed a slashing motion with both hands then pointed at Cut and repeated the gesture. Hoping he was right, Cut repeated the gesture Tinker had made and pointed at his chest, returning the smile as Tinker nodded.  
'Nice one brother, you can now sign your name.' Hope chuckled, easing down beside them. 'Well, the standard symbol for cut anyway, we'll probably have to change it slightly to indicate a person not an action.'  
'The easiest thing to do would be to reverse the sign, right?' Cut asked, looking up at Hope for a moment. 'Instead of right hand down across the left palm, bring the right hand up.'  
'Yeah, that'd work.' Hope nodded, touching Tinker on the shoulder and signing a complex series of signals ending with the reversed cut sign.

Looking at Cut again, Tinker repeated the reversed sign and pointed to Cut, gaze swinging back to Hope as Cut nodded. Signing another set, Hope smiled and nodded, encouraging the use of this new sign.  
'This is the sign for hello, Cut.' Hope guided, repeating the sign slowly several times.  
'I assume there's a sign for Tinker, as well.' Cut remarked, replicating Hope's signs and trying to get it right.  
'Yeah but that's a little more complicated. Stick with the easy stuff for now vod, you'll get there.' Hope nodded, signing something to Tinker. Signing back, Tinker laughed quietly, glancing at Cut with a cheeky grin.  
'Should I be worried about that?' Cut asked, trying to mimic what Hope was doing with his hands. 'You not making jokes about me, are you vod?'  
'Course not, just letting Tinker know you're a rookie at this. He's amused by the fact a brother so old knows so little of sign language.' Hope replied, reaching over to guide Cut's hands into the right shape. 'Form is vital, Cut. A single finger out of place can lead to completely wrong meanings and a lot of embarrassment.'  
'It can't be that bad, surely.' Cut replied, paying even more attention to the hands of his brothers.

Signing something to Tinker, Hope turned his full attention to Cut, signing out a four-stage signal slowly, allowing Cut to watch each step.  
'As I'm signing now, I'm telling you it's time to eat. But if I do this,' here Hope changed the positioning of just one finger. 'I'm asking if you want to be eaten.'  
'Whoa, guess I'd better be careful then.' Cut gulped, well aware that a question along those lines could be taken any number of ways.  
'You'll pick it up vod, it's not that hard once you get the basics down. Give it time, we all started as fumbling rookies.' Hope promised, shifting to stretch out on the grass in front of the pair. 'For now, get comfortable and watch, I'll translate for you both.'  
'I'd appreciate that vod. I'd like to get to know all my brothers better.' Cut nodded, stretching out and shifting over so he could clearly see both sets of hands without anyone having to strain.  
'Don't ask about his scars, vod. Ask buir later, after everyone else has gone to bed. She'll tell you the full story, Tinker won't talk about it at all.' Hope warned, hiding his mouth behind his hands so Tinker didn't pick up on any of it.  
'I was thinking of the basics, just getting to know him.' Cut replied, watching Tinker closely.  
'Oh, gotcha.' Hope grinned, signing to Tinker and watching his hands as he replied. 'Tinker is thirteen and two seasons, saw action with the 104th for two seasons before he was injured and retired to Alderaan. He wants to know your story.'  
'I'm 14 and three seasons, I saw action in the First Battle of Geonosis…and I'm a deserter. I fled after I survived my troop transport being shot down.' Cut sighed, dropping his gaze.  
'At least you fought, Cut. I almost didn't get my chance. I have less than perfect vision, it's minor but it was enough to see me listed for discontinuation. I spent many seasons with buir, training hard to overcome my problem. Commander Bly of the 327th took a chance on me, sneaking me onto his cruiser and into battle. My first mission out, I killed four and maimed six, including myself, because I didn't see the faint trace of a landmine.' Hope offered, reaching out to rest one hand on Cut's knee. 'Better to be a live deserter than a dead hero.'  
'I suppose so.' Cut agreed, letting his shoulders drop. 'It still stings.'  
'It always will. We are born to fight. Leaving our brothers on the battlefield while we are off doing our own things, it is unnatural but not unforgivable. You are human Cut, I cannot fault you for trying to survive when your world came tumbling down. We all try to do the same but not everyone succeeds.' Hope continued, his speech a little slower as he translated Tinker's hands. 'I have to agree with Tinker. Life is precious Cut, you learned that lesson. Now live on in memory of your fallen brothers.'

#~#~^~#~#

A week into their time together and everyone was getting along remarkably well. Emily had been concerned that her youngest sons would not be comfortable around ordinary children but they had surprised her with how quickly they accepted Shaeeah and Jekk, welcoming the pair into their games and making firm friends.

Angel felt particularly special when he was invited for his first sleep over. With the blessings of Emily and Rufus, Angel packed his bag and headed back to the house with Cut, looking forward to his new experience. For his first time away from the comfort of his mother, Angel did the best he could but in the middle of the night, an exhausted Cut guided Angel back to the neatly arranged tents and settled him back in among his brothers where he would be safe and comfortable. Lifting his head at the strange vibrations, Tinker nodded and rolled over, gently drawing Angel in against his chest.

But even as Emily kept a sharp watch on her more familiar sons, she noticed Cut wasn't quite as perky as he'd been in the days previous. He was still smiling but he looked pale and withdrawn and would often disappear into the house for a couple of hours after lunch. The rest of her family noticed it too, each one coming up to her and offering their concerns about Cut's health. Even Shadow realised something was wrong and went to Emily with his worries, trying to help his brother as best he could.

So the very next day, trusting in Suu and Rufus to watch the extended family, Emily waited for Cut to disappear inside before following him in and tracking him upstairs. It wasn't hard to find him, he was hidden away in the en-suite bathroom, violently throwing up. Closing the distance quickly, Emily crouched beside him, lightly rubbing his back to comfort him.  
'How long have you been hiding your illness, Cut?' she asked softly, no hint of accusation in her voice. 'You can tell me, ad.'  
'Couple of weeks.' Cut panted, summoning the strength to lift his head. 'Gotten worse the last three days.'  
'Shh, it's okay now ad. You don't have to hide this anymore, I'll take care of you.' Emily soothed, shuffling closer to allow Cut to lean against her chest.  
'Gotta take care of my family.' Cut managed, too exhausted to fight Emily's gentle embrace.  
'Not at the expense of your own health, Cut.' Emily corrected, burying her worry deep inside as Cut lurched forward to finish emptying his stomach. 'Let me help you, ad.'

Catching him when he stumbled as he tried to stand, Emily held Cut close and guided him back to bed, gentle but stern when he tried to slip her grasp. Sitting him down on the side of the bed, Emily made it quite clear that he wasn't going anywhere, taking a knee to remove his boots and calf wraps before releasing his belt and helping him out of his stained shirts.  
'Just rest, ner ad.' she whispered, easing Cut back and drawing the blankets over him lightly. 'I'll be right here.'  
'Just for a little while.' Cut nodded, rolling over and settling comfortably.  
'For as long as you need, Cut.' Emily grinned, reaching out to release his hair. 'You need this.'

Within minutes, Cut was deep in peaceful dreams, curled up under the blankets with a faint smile on his face. Sitting beside him, Emily drew the blankets up a little more and smoothed out his hair, finding it so easy to love him as equally as al her other sons.  
'Sleep on, dear son of mine. The world will seem brighter after you've had a rest.' she smiled, getting up and wandering back into the bathroom to wash the stains out of Cut's shirts.

#~#~^~#~#

Waking some time later, Cut managed a weak smile as Emily leant over to rest her palm against his forehead, thumb idly rubbing his hair line as she nodded slowly. Seemingly satisfied with what she felt, she removed the extra blankets draped over him and folded them neatly before setting them on the chair in the corner.  
'Feeling any better, ner ad?' she asked, perching on the side of the bed.  
'A little.' Cut nodded, rubbing his eyes quickly. 'How long was I out for?'  
'About four hours.' Emily grinned, pushing him back down when he tried to rise. 'Your brothers have everything under control, Cut. For now, rest and replenish your strength.'

Accepting the strong arms helping him up, Cut got comfortable and reached out to take the steaming mug Emily offered him. The contents smelt so good, small pieces of vegetables floating in a clear broth that restored his appetite. Wisely, Cut didn't try and force the issue, he took his time with the soup, waiting for any signs of disagreement from his stomach before trying more.  
'I will have to tell 99 that you appreciate his cooking abilities.' Emily grinned, tucking Cut's hair back behind his ear. 'He will be glad to know.'  
'This is good, buir.' Cut agreed, relaxing a little more now that his stomach wasn't so empty.  
'It's an old family recipe. I will share it with Suu, for the next time you get sick.' Emily promised, glad to see Cut was perking up a little but it would be some time before he was fully healthy again. 'It seems to be a clone thing to hide when you're unwell.'  
'Sickness gets you taken off the line and no clone enjoys the shame of a sick call.' Cut explained, draining his mug and handing it back to Emily.  
'Well that certainly explains a few things.' Emily chuckled, putting the mug aside. 'Snuggle back down, it's okay.'  
'Buir, what happened to Tinker? Hope warned me not to ask him and suggested I speak to you about it.' Cut asked, sliding back down and getting cosy again.  
'No one really knows. All we know for certain is Tinker was captured and interrogated for a week. He withstood the power of Ventress in his mind and held out against an interrogation droid too. When his brothers found him, he was half mad from the stress with four gashes on his head, ripping right down to the bone. According to the medics, his eardrums weren't so much ruptured as torn out, probably a new interrogation method but hardly very effective.' Emily explained, fairly sure Cut was strong enough to handle the news without her softening the harsh edges of it.  
'No wonder Tinker won't talk of it.' Cut sighed, curling up under the blankets. 'He doesn't seem half mad anymore.'  
'It happened nearly three years ago, now. He has made so much progress since he first arrived in my care and we hope that with time he will continue to improve.' Emily shrugged, tucking Cut in again. 'Now enough stories, go back to sleep, dear one.'

Staying beside Cut as he closed his eyes, Emily lightly ran her fingers through his hair, soothing and comforting in equal measure. Pressing closer to her hand, Cut shifted uncomfortably, something troubling his mind. Humming softly, Emily shuffled closer and gently guided Cut to curl up around her hip. Looking down at him, Emily frowned faintly and drew the blankets up a little more, trying to offer comfort.

Dragon tales and the "water is wide"  
Pirate's sail and lost boys fly  
Fish bite moonbeams every night  
And I love you

Godspeed, little man  
Sweet dreams, little man  
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings  
Godspeed  
Sweet dreams

The rocket racer's all tuckered out  
Superman's in pyjamas on the couch  
Goodnight moon, will find the mouse  
And I love you

Godspeed, little man  
Sweet dreams, little man  
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings  
Godspeed  
Sweet dreams

God bless mommy and match box cars  
God bless dad and thanks for the stars  
God hears "Amen," wherever we are  
And I love you

Godspeed, little man  
Sweet dreams, little man  
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings  
Godspeed  
Godspeed  
Godspeed  
Sweet dreams

Sighing softly, Cut relaxed at last, sagging into the mattress and relaxing into her gentle contact. Stroking his hair lovingly, Emily slipped out of his embrace and left him to sleep in peace as she finished with the washing and made sure he had a good chance to swing back into his usual routine without causing a fuss.

#~#~^~#~#

It took a week of devoted attention but Cut eventually kicked off the illness that had been plaguing him for so long. Passing the health check Emily gave him, Cut dressed and practically flew downstairs, so very glad to be back among his brothers at last. Pausing to kiss his wife as she prepared lunch, he was out the door, leaping off the porch and tackling Fox to the ground for an impromptu wrestling match.

Following at a more sedate pace, Emily stopped in the doorway and smiled, just glad to see Cut back with his brothers where he belonged.  
'This last week has given me a lot of time to think, Emily.' Suu remarked, walking over to join Emily. 'I have come to realise that it is not fair to keep Cut away from his brothers. It is clear he is happy with them. They understand him in ways I can only imagine.'  
'Brotherhood is like that Suu. They're always happiest in groups. It doesn't seem to matter about age differences or where they've been, they all fit together so neatly.' Emily agreed, watching her sons gathering around Cut, welcoming him back into the fold. 'So, shall I send confirmation that you will be joining us on Alderaan?'  
'Yes, Emily. I do not know exactly when we will be able to get to Alderaan but we will try to get there soon.' Suu nodded, smiling fondly at the sight of her husband having such fun with his brothers on the grass.  
'I did some checking last night, we can catch a transport back to Alderaan tomorrow. I know that's a bit soon for you but if I take the boys on the transport, there will be more space on the fighter for your family. You will not need to bring much, clothes and toys mostly. Everything else will be provided.' Emily suggested, familiar with what Rufus could pack into the Black Raven.  
'The ship you arrived in seems so small but if it carried all of you here, it should have no trouble carrying us back to Alderaan.' Suu agreed, thinking it over carefully. 'Should I tell Cut or will you tell him?'  
'You tell him, Suu. I have to tell the rest of the boys that we're leaving tomorrow. We have to be back in time for Fox to catch his connecting flight to Coruscant so he can get back to work. He might be my son and love his time on Alderaan but he's a dedicated soldier as well.' Emily replied, stepping down and whistling sharply for her boys. 'Cut, your wife has some news for you. Ner ade, I need to speak with the rest of you in private.'


	25. Losses

Everyone knew what it meant when the sleek lines of the Kamino transports arrived, bearing another group of brothers to their final home. Everyone onboard knew they would never again stand on the field of battle, they were useless now and Alderaan became known in some circles as the junkyard, the place where unwanted clones went to die. Only those that truly knew the inner workings of the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility knew the full truth. 

These ships were arriving with increasing frequency now, forcing the huge compound to change again. It was a good thing that everything except the buildings could be moved around, making it easier to accommodate the casualties and still keep to the original essence of this place - a home for every clone. It wasn't always easy but the parental team was determined to live by those words and never turn away one of their children.

The playground and garden beds had been moved more towards the south, making space for a four-storey hospital to be built to house the wounded as they were tended and new homes organised for all of them. Both the convalescence and dedicated care homes were still going as they had originally intended but now there was a three-storey assisted living building behind both buildings, covering the needs of those too badly injured to be fully independent but not in need of dedicated 24-hour care.

To the south of the hospital, with clear views over the playground, gardens and grass, there was a smaller building known to all as Hero's Rest. With 24-hour dedicated care, a private courtyard specifically for those living there and every comfort they could want, Hero's Rest was an upbeat place, even though everyone knew those that were placed in there almost never came out alive. It was a special place, designed to make the last days of the critically injured as comfortable as possible.

#~#~^~#~#

Rushing out to meet the latest transport from Kamino, Jean-Claude and Gena were first on scene, taking stock of the latest batch to be delivered into their care and rehabilitation programs. It was heartbreaking to see them all carried off the transport and arranged in neat rows on the grass, the men serving on this ship kept on tight leashes to stop them running home when they had a chance. One step out of line and the Kaminoans would recondition them, stealing away the happy memories already created and sending them out to start over.

Calling for help from the droids that were always on stand by and any clones that had the courage to handle this confronting sight, Jean-Claude and Gena split up and plunged into the ranks of men, stopping beside each wounded man and checking the tag tied loosely around their neck. Reading over the detailed injury listings, quick decisions were made. Each one was tagged with a coloured spot on the bottom left corner of their neck tag. Purple for independent housing, green for the convalescence home, blue for the care home, yellow for assisted living and red for Hero's Rest.

They would all spent time in the onsite hospital but it gave them such comfort to know where they would go after their time spent recovering from the worst of their injuries. Everyone managed a smile when they were told; it was a weight of their minds to know what the future would hold for them.

Making his way along the second line of men, Jean-Claude came across four men that were so familiar, more so than any other clone he'd gotten to know. Their faces turned up in dozens of photos from earth, always together and making the most of their short lives.  
'ba'vodu…please.' one croaked, one badly burned hand reaching for him weakly.  
'Shh, save your strength Echo.' Jean-Claude soothed, kneeling beside him. 'You're safe now, you're home.'  
'We tried, ba'vodu.' another choked, a large burn blatantly obvious on his back. 'We tried so hard.'  
'I know Hevy, I know.' Jean-Claude nodded, turning to stroke his hair. 'Hush, save your strength.'  
'it hurts, ba'vodu.' a third whimpered, thick bacta dressings hiding whatever injuries had taken him off the line.  
'I wish I could do more, Cutup.' Jean-Claude replied, moving around to brush his hair back off his forehead. 'Close your eyes, you're home now.'  
'What now, ba'vodu?' the fourth gasped; fighting for the life he knew and wanted.  
'Hold on, Droidbait. Don't give up; you've still got a life to enjoy.' Jean-Claude coaxed, lifting the bacta patches to check his injuries. 'You will survive; I know you are strong enough.'

Thinking it over carefully and hoping he got it right, Jean-Claude marked Echo for the care home and put the other three in assisted living, knowing that their injuries would slow them down a lot until they healed up enough to move into independent housing.  
'Get these four out of here!' Jean-Claude called, waving over a group of brave clones to help. 'Be gentle, they have endured much.'  
'Elek ba'vodu.' they replied, moving into the mass of waiting brothers and whisking the four away towards the hospital.  
'Where are you Fives?' Jean-Claude uttered, shaking his head slowly as he looked around for the missing Domino brother.

Up the other end, Gena got a shock of her own as she continued her way along the second row of wounded being delivered. Something terrible had happened out there, somewhere far beyond the reaches of their feedback system. No one had told them that so many wounded men would be coming; otherwise they would have been ready. Flaked out side-by-side, proving just how hard the combat had been out there, sons from the 501st and the 212th were carried out in their hundreds and settled in neat rows. 

Taking a knee between two of them, she knew Emily was going to take the news hard. Two of her first 28 were here, both fighting for every breath but somehow, they had survived the journey from wherever they had been struck down. Waxer looked better, two blaster burns to the chest and another in the abdomen. After hospitalisation, he'd only need to spend a little while in the convalescence home before he was released to independent life.  
'Green for you Waxer, you'll be okay.' she uttered, stroking his cheek lightly as he looked up at her. 'You're a tough one; this won't keep you down for long.'  
'vor'e ba'vodu.' Waxer nodded, squeezing her hand for a moment before he was taken away.

Turning her attention to the burned and mangled man on her left, she wanted to believe he was strong enough to survive but his burns were severe. She couldn't see a scrap of flesh that wasn't burned, even down around his private area.  
'Buir?' he whispered, barely able to get the word out as he tried to define her shape.  
'No, ad. Ba'vodu Gena.' she replied, deeply disturbed by what she was seeing. 'I'm here, Hardcase, it's okay now.'  
'Don't hurt.' Hardcase managed, ignoring the blood in his mouth from split and burned lips.  
'Shh, save your strength Hardcase.' Gena uttered, dabbing at his lips with one of the extra dressings piled beside him. 'Anyone who didn't know you would mark you red but I have a feeling you'll pull through. Blue for you, I know you can do it.'  
'I'll try.' Hardcase replied, dark eyes closing slowly.  
'Extreme care with this one, he's in real bad shape. Do not jostle him around at all!' Gena barked, pointing at two of the guardsmen lingering nearby.  
'As you order, ba'vodu.' Thire replied, responding to the authority in her voice.

#~#~^~#~#

It was almost dark by the time the last of the newly arrived wounded were checked and marked as appropriate. Even with the combined effort from the eight parents still on Alderaan, the sheer numbers had taken them all day to deal with. Of course, the crew of the ship that delivered them all was no help; they left the area as soon as the last injured brother was set with the rest of the wounded. None dared risk their good memories of home to disobey their orders.

Armed with lists of the wounded, sorted by accommodation priorities, the exhausted group settled in their living room, each one trying to digest what they had seen out there this time.  
'Emily is going to be devastated when she sees these lists.' Veronique uttered, hanging her head sadly. 'I do not know how she will handle the news.'  
'Same way she always has, I suppose.' Aloysius shrugged, handing around beers and settling on the couch. 'She'll scream about it, shed her tears and get back into the job at hand.'  
'I do not think so, not this time. She will find it very hard to move on from this lot.' Jean-Claude corrected, resisting the urge to get blind drunk. 'Four of the five Domino brothers came through, all with serious chest injuries. Three will be suitable for assisted living but Echo was severely burned. He will be in the care home for many months.'  
'Who wasn't there?' Shane asked, flicking through his list again.  
'Fives, I searched for him but whatever got his brothers missed him…or he was killed in action.' Jean-Claude replied, swallowing his grief until they knew for sure.  
'I have the casualty list here, Fives is not on it.' David offered, holding up a thicker ream of flimsi. 'He's not even on the list of those sent to the medical stations for immediate care.'  
'Well that's a bonus. She's still not going to like the news.' Gena sighed, looking at her own list.  
'At least only four of her first 28 have wound up on the infirm lists, that's got to do something for her mood.' Buck offered, not really sure but he had to hope.  
'Six of her first 28. I found Waxer and Hardcase deeper in the mass that was dropped off. Waxer should be okay, couple of blaster wounds to the chest and abdomen. I really don't know about Hardcase though, I marked him blue but I have a feeling he'll go red.' Gena groaned, putting her lists down. 'He's got some severe burns, down to the point where he couldn't feel anything and he was impossible to recognise. It was only after he spoke that I knew who it was.'  
'Dear god, Emily's not going to handle his appearance at all.' Ralph uttered, pressing in against Gena's side. 'Are you okay?'  
'It was hard to see him like that, but he needed the love of family more than anything else. He could barely speak for the blood from his lips.' Gena nodded, draping one arm around Ralph's shoulders. 'I couldn't mark him red; he's such an integral part of this family.'  
'How are we going to tell Emily about all of this? We can't just give her the lists and let her read it; she deserves to be told in private, eye-to-eye.' Shane groaned, looking around for answers.  
'I'll tell her, it's the least I can do for all she's done to help me through this.' Aloysius offered, the words out before he'd really thought it through. 'I can stand against her emotions, she'll be safe.'  
'You are a brave man Aloysius, I could not do that.' Jean-Claude nodded, amazed that Aloysius would willingly risk going up against Emily's wrath when her family was threatened.  
'We have an understanding.' Aloysius shrugged, hoping it would be enough to keep him safe.

#~#~^~#~#

Roused from peaceful dreams by a blaring alarm coming from the alert board mounted near the bed, Aloysius was first to respond, rolling over and slapping at the message button down the bottom. Continuing the roll and getting to his feet, he listened to the frantic call from Patch as he dressed before sprinting from his room and down the stairs at the western corner of the northern range. Sliding down the banister, he hit the ground on the fly and raced out the corner door, charging past the convalescence house to reach the brightly lit porch around the hospital.

Bounding up the stairs, Aloysius barely had to slow down to know where he was needed. The night shift were all standing in prominent places along the way, pointing boldly in the direction he was needed. Scrambling past each one in turn, Aloysius shot up the stairs, knowing that one misstep could be fatal but he had to hurry. That alarm had been an emergency call, something was seriously wrong.

Blasting off the stairs once he hit the top floor, Aloysius spun hard to the right and flew along the corridor, eyes locked on a glowing red light above one of the doors. Skidding to bleed of his speed, he came to a neat stop in front of the marked door and stepped inside. Shedding his heavy jacket, he pulled on the sterile scrubs one of the medics was holding for him and tried not to hear the cacophony going on inside the sterile room.

Getting a nod from the masked clone beside him, Aloysius stepped through the second set of doors, inhaling the familiar scents of antiseptic and bacta. Weaving around the various bits of equipment arranged around the bed and ducking behind the medical team working frantically on the still body on the cot in the middle of all the chaos, Aloysius swallowed back the bile in his throat and focused on what he had to do.

Vaguely hearing and incorporating the various conversations around him, Aloysius came to the head of the bed and reached out to lightly skim gloved fingers over the exposed, charred cheek of his seriously injured son. It didn't matter than he was known as Uncle by all the clones, Aloysius saw all of them as his sons.  
'Fek, he's crashing!'  
'Let him go.'  
'Fight Hardcase! Fight it!'  
'You can't give up Hardcase!'  
'These burns are so severe. What life will he have if he survives?'  
'Quiet!' Aloysius growled, eyes turning to the medic that had suggested just letting Hardcase die at home. 'Everyone, speak only as required to tend to his injuries.'  
'But ba'vodu, it will be a miracle if he survives these burns.' someone muttered, working on another set of bacta soaked dressings. 'In grand total, 95 percent of his body is burned.'  
'Now you listen to me, son.' Aloysius warned, leaning right in close to the speaker. 'Hardcase is one of the first 28 so you are going to make damned sure he's still alive when Emily gets back from her mission to Saleucami. Only then, on her agreement are you to cease treatment. Do I make myself clear?'  
'Of course, ba'vodu.' he nodded, turning back to his work. 'You heard him, we've got to keep Hardcase going. He's tough, he'll survive this.'

Satisfied that the team was properly motivated, Aloysius returned his full attention to Hardcase, knowing what he had to do. Coming up beside the bed, he reached out to Hardcase, left hand slipping under his head as he curled his right around Hardcase's heavily bandaged hand. He thought he felt a twitch of a squeeze in response but didn't push for anything.  
'Hardcase, I know you're feeling pretty miserable right now but you can't give up just yet. You can't let this beat you, no matter how hard it gets. Buir will be home soon, she'll come swooping back into the house and everything will go back to normal. Please, ad, you have to hold on for her. She will want to see you again. Of all her sons, you are truly special to her, Hardcase. You can't give up, not yet.' Aloysius coaxed, so close to tears as he tried to hold the family together.  
'Don't think I can.' Hardcase mumbled, one eye cracking open to look up at Aloysius. 'So tired.'  
'You can Hardcase, you can hold on. I'll be right here, take my strength and fight on, Hardcase. Fight on for family and home, for Kix and Jesse and all your brothers. But most importantly, you have to fight for Emily.' Aloysius replied, leaning in to brush a soft kiss across Hardcase's forehead. 'Fight Hardcase, fight for the honour of the mighty 501st.'

Suddenly the machines around started to quieten down and the medical team were muttering quietly, checking readings and looking at Aloysius in wonder. Lifting his gaze, Aloysius really listened to the noise around him, surprised to find it sounded less like a trauma center and more like a normal hospital ward.  
'Well I'll be damned, he's coming back from the brink. Go on ba'vodu, say something else. He's fighting back.' one of the medics uttered, astounded by what he was seeing.  
'Come on Hardcase, fight it vod.' another coaxed, working on redressing Hardcase's empty hand.  
'Ni kry'tayl gai sa'ad, Hardcase.' Aloysius declared, hoping his pronunciation was right. He'd only been practising this particular Mando'a statement for a few weeks. 'I know your name as my child, Hardcase. Emily might be your buir but from now on you will carry my name into the future. Fight on, Hardcase Knight, yours is a bright future.'

No one could believe it when Hardcase's vitals settled back within the normal range for clones, removing the stress from the medical team. But the job wasn't done yet, they still had to protect Hardcase from infections and ensure his breathing wasn't hindered by the damage to his face.  
'I know you don't like these things Hardcase but it's for your own good.' one of the medics soothed, coming up beside him with a breathing tube.  
'Haat, ijaa, haa'it.' Hardcase uttered, relaxing a little more as the medical team gathered around and sedated him again.  
'Truth, honor, vision.' Aloysius repeated, so proud of Hardcase for rallying against his injuries.  
'Get some rest, ba'vodu. Hardcase will be out for at least a few hours, one of the medics will come and fetch you when he starts to stir.' one of the medics offered, Aloysius couldn't tell them apart behind their masks and caps.  
'I'll be in the central waiting room.' Aloysius nodded, looking back at Hardcase again before leaving the room.

#~#~^~#~#

With the morning came another surprise for the family. A smaller ship came racing over the facility before turning and coming down lightly on the landing pad to the north of the main housing area. Watching it for a moment, Shane hustled out to meet the ship, wondering what it was bringing to their home. It was a strange mix of technologies on the landing pad, the sleek ship and Shane on horseback, a pistol slung low on his hip.

Calming Libby with a firm hand against her neck, Shane waited patiently as the ramp lowered and four clones in full armour stepped out, rifles held ready as they escorted a fifth off the ship. Behind them came another pair, loaded down with footlocker and duffle, a sign that whatever was happening was a permanent deal.

Coming to a stop beside Shane, the four snapped to attention and moved to the side, allowing the two in the back to step forward and set the gear down beside their prisoner. Head bowed, their prisoner sunk to his knees, defeated and broken.  
'Special orders from General Skywalker, Sir.' one of the guards directed, holding out a code secured datapad.  
'And just when I thought I would never be called Sir again.' Shane uttered, accepting the datapad and entering his command code.

Reading over the data provided, Shane felt a lump in his stomach as another of Emily's first 28 was removed from active service. This time it wasn't a serious injury that removed him from the line, he had been charged with several crimes, among them shooting a Jedi, and was under orders to never again show his face on the battlefield. He was lucky to avoid reconditioning, Shane knew that but in the case of this soldier, throwing him off the battlefield was more of a torment than reconditioning.

Shaking his head slowly, Shane transferred the special document onto his personal datapad and handed back the command 'pad, trying to accept what he'd just read. It was hard to believe what had been written but without seeing the battle or talking to all parties involved, Shane had no way to be certain.  
'Emily will be informed of this upon her return. Guard team, dismissed.' Shane directed, knowing his sons would hold to their duties unless it was their assigned time on Alderaan.  
'Our orders state that we must ensure the prisoner is secured so he cannot attempt a return.' one of the guards replied, the scowl evident in his voice.

Dismounting smoothly, Shane drew his pistol and came around behind the kneeling clone, hand firm on his shoulder. Trembling faintly, the outcast clone stayed where he was, bound hands resting in his lap as he stared at the ground in shame. Seemingly satisfied with the procedure, the guard team turned and boarded their shuttle, abandoning their brother to a life of shame that he could no longer serve with his brothers.

Hating that this had to be done but knowing no other way to handle the situation, Shane dragged his son to his feet and marched him away, leaving his duffle and footlocker on the landing pad. But he didn't leave them there for long. As soon as one of the guardsmen saw them sitting there, he gathered them up and carried them to the main house.

Up to the fourth floor of the main house, warning his sons away with a shake of the head, Shane felt sick to the pit of his stomach as he handed over one of the bright orange jumpsuits they kept on hand just in case something like this came up. Quietly accepting of his punishment, the shamed clone changed and stepped into the open cell, the floor so truly fascinating for him.  
'Your mother will be home soon. Until she is appraised of the situation, one of the droids will bring your meals.' Shane explained, releasing the binders on his wrists before closing the door and activating the shield.  
'I understand, Sir.' he replied, slumping on his bunk and hanging his head.

#~#~^~#~#

Far from any peaceful thoughts of Alderaan and his family, Rex was left dealing with one last mess from the battle now behind them. All he'd really wanted to do after the debrief was go back to his quarters to take a hot shower and catch some sleep. But his plans were thrown out the window when four of his boys - the last of the first 28 with the 501st - came to his door.

Ushering the group inside, Rex watched them out the corner of his eye as he shed his armour and changed into clean fatigues. His shower would have to wait, his boys needed him now. Rex knew he smelled really bad after two days of non-stop fighting but his boys didn't seem to mind so much. They just wanted his attention, away from the rigours of war.  
'ori'vod?' Tup uttered, trembling with repressed pain and grief as he stood there.  
'I'm here, vod'ika.' Rex nodded, stepping up and drawing Tup close to his chest. 'For all of you, no matter what.'  
'It hurts, ori'vod.' Fives choked, resting his head on Rex's shoulder heavily.  
'I know, vod'ika, I know.' Rex soothed, holding them both close as his gaze turned to Jesse and Kix. 'But they are all safe now, buir will look after them.'  
'You saw Hardcase.' Kix whispered, looking at Jesse sadly. 'We all saw what was left.'  
'Buir will take care of them now. Come what may, she will be there for them.' Rex promised, wishing for a moment that he had more arms so he could hold all his grieving brothers at once.

Breaking away slowly, Tup stumbled over to drape his arms around Jesse's shoulders, seeming to realise that he wasn't the only one needing comfort. Holding tight, Jesse let his own grief show, remembering the lessons Emily had taught them about grief. Needing no invitation, Kix took Tup's place in Rex's embrace, absolutely gutted that he hadn't been able to do more for his brothers in general but Hardcase specifically.

Getting an idea, Rex gently guided his brothers into the back corner of the room, trusting them to hold each other up for a moment. Then he grabbed the mattress off his bunk, flicking everything that was on it onto the frame and setting the mattress on the floor. Turning, he grabbed the mattress on the other side of his quarters and dragged it onto the floor as well, squashing the two together between the bunks and all the other stuff in his room.

Satisfied that the floor was at least reasonably comfortable now, Rex removed his shirt, stretched out on his back and patted the space around him, waiting patiently for his brothers to get the idea. Within seconds he was crushed under his brothers, everyone fighting for their favourite places in the squeeze. Recoiling from the ass in his face, Rex spotted Tup in the crush and reached out to snag him, drawing him in against his right side safely. Sighing softly, Tup rolled over and snuggled in against Rex, leaving a couple of inches between them but he was close enough to be totally comfortable.

There was a scramble for the left side, Rex grunted when he caught a flying knee in the gut and he reached out to grab the nearest body, throwing them down against his left side and holding on tight. By chance, it would up being Fives curled in there contentedly. Head on Rex's shoulder, he relaxed and enjoyed the closeness, the massive hole in his heart a little less painful but it would still hurt to fight on without his brothers.

Fairly much used to the antics of his younger brothers when it came to sleep piles, Rex thought nothing of the wriggling and squirming. Eventually Kix and Jesse settled, sprawled contentedly among their brothers. Kix had wormed his way under Rex's left calf, head resting on his right thigh lightly. Settled on his side, unconcerned about the close proximity of Rex's package, one hand on Rex's thigh and the other draped over his side, he was perfectly comfortable. Wriggling again, he relaxed when Fives threw a leg over his back, anchoring them together.

Wormed in under Tup's legs and curled around him gently, Jesse rested his head on Rex's hip, one arm thrown over Tup's waist as he settled in quickly. Getting comfortable, he smiled as Kix shuffled his hand over to lightly trace over Jesse's back, connecting and reminding where he was. Free hand resting lightly on Rex's abdomen, Jesse let his eyes slip closed, trusting in his brothers to keep the nightmares at bay.

Rolling over a little more, careful of where Jesse was resting, Tup draped over Rex comfortably, looking for any trace of the comfort and warmth he'd shared with Dogma. Humming softly, Rex let him get comfortable and rubbed his back lightly, trying to ease his pain. Rex knew he'd never have the old Tup again, not with Dogma gone to an unknown fate. All he could do was try and keep his brothers together, urging them to keep moving forward.

Feeling a wet splash on his other shoulder, Rex turned his head and watched Fives trying to be strong, biting his lip to stay silent as hot tears fell. Guiding Fives back in close, Rex brushed a soft kiss across his forehead, offering freely of his shoulder without saying a word. Nodding slowly, Fives tried to relax and rest, tears still sliding from behind closed eyes.

Groaning when his door chime sounded, Rex lifted his head and checked the little lock lights, hoping he hadn't done the dumb thing. Tightening his hold on his brothers, he was relieved to see the green light was lit so he didn't have to figure out how to get out of the middle of the pile.  
'Yeah, it's open.' he called, rubbing light circles on Tup's back when he threatened to stir.  
'I was hoping…huh?' Ahsoka started, stopping in the door and staring at the tangled group at her feet. 'Rex, what are you doing?'  
'Keep your voice down, I only just got them to sleep.' Rex warned, listening to the four younger men around him for a moment. 'That last one hit them hard, they all lost someone important.'  
'Fives lost his Squad brothers, Jesse and Kix lost Hardcase but Tup…' Ahsoka nodded, picking her way around the group to sit near Rex's head.  
'For Tup, it's not about a brother seriously injured in the war. He's missing Dogma, they were extremely close.' Rex explained, squeezing Kix lightly when he whimpered. 'They've been a team since Tup joined the 501st. They fell in love along the way but only admitted it that first Christmas we spent with buir on Alderaan.'  
'I know where Dogma was sent.' Ahsoka uttered, careful not to wake the men huddled around Rex. 'Rather than send him to Kamino, Skyguy had him sent to Alderaan. He received General's Orders to never again set foot on a battlefield, not just as part of the 501st but in any way at all. Word has gone out to every officer in the GAR, Dogma is now an outcast of the Army.'  
'Well, that's a relief. Better the brig at home than Kamino. Buir will protect Dogma from any backlash.' Rex smiled, shifting his right leg to rub his knee against Jesse's back. 'Scattered months of love are better than nothing.'  
'I wish you'd told me earlier Rex, I might have been able to do something for them.' Ahsoka sighed, watching Tup twitching in his sleep.  
'Don't you worry, young'un. I'll figure something out, it's not your problem.' Rex replied, already planning out ways to reunite Tup and Dogma. 'You never know what might happen next.'  
'You're not thinking…'  
'Relax, young'un. I'm not thinking of anything stupid. There are a lot of ways to get taken off the line permanently, Tup knows that and he'll try once he knows Dogma is safe and not facing reconditioning. And you can be sure I'll tell him, after he's had a chance to rest.' Rex soothed, kind of wishing he could reach out to Ahsoka as well.

Leaving Rex shocked, Ahsoka crawled onto the mattresses and squeezed into the group, somehow finding enough space between Rex's hip, Fives' abdomen and Kix's legs. Curled up tight, head on Fives' waist, she sighed and relaxed, finding something in the press of bodies all around her. Figuring there was no harm in letting her stay, Rex didn't argue her place in the group. She was their sister, it was only fair that she be able to share in the closeness of the family after a hard day.

Finding his own peace, surrounded by his siblings and safe for now, Rex sighed and settled down to sleep. Eyes closing, he whispered his remembrances and made absolutely sure Tup and Fives were completely out before giving over to his need for sleep. Hopefully his dreams would be full of home and family, not the nightmares he knew so well.

#~#~^~#~#

Grateful for the privacy of his own quarters, Cody locked the door behind him and gently turned Boil to face him, lost for words in the face of such pain and distress. Instead, Cody stepped forward and gently enfolded Boil in his arms, holding tight and waiting for the break. Sure enough, Boil choked and shattered, helmet clattering to the ground as he clung to Cody and sobbed helplessly, not sure which way to turn.

Muttering calming words, Cody held him all the tighter, wishing for once someone would be there to hold him and let him be the younger sibling for a change. He hurt too but no one seemed to remember that he was just a boy too. He had to keep strong for his brothers and constantly hide his pain until he was alone and could muffle his sobs in his pillow. Blinking back tears, Cody held strong against Boil's pain, rocking slowly to bring comfort to a man missing more than just a comrade and friend.

It had been clear from the very first day Boil and Waxer had arrived in the 212th, they were more than brothers, comrades and friends. They had found someone special, someone to love and cherish for as long as they had. Cody had always hoped they'd go out together in a flash of glory but it wasn't to be for them, now they had to face the agony of living apart until the war ended or death came for them.

Feeling Boil's head lift, Cody pushed aside such thoughts and completely focused on his younger brother, knowing that he had to be as dedicated to them as Emily was. He had to be their guardian and confidant in her absence.  
'ori'vod, it's okay. I know you hurt too.' Boil uttered, reaching up to card his fingers through Cody's hair. 'You don't have to be strong now.'  
'Your loss is greater, Boil. Waxer is your cyar'ika, not mine.' Cody replied, finding it so hard to ignore Boil's suggestion.  
'But he is your vod'ika, he always will be. You deserve a chance to grieve his loss as well.' Boil continued, gazing into Cody's eyes. 'Tears honour the fallen and heal the living.'

Understanding what Boil was trying to say, Cody nodded slowly and let Boil take his weight on his shoulders. Holding each other up, both men stopped trying to fight the pain, tears falling as they thought about Waxer and everything he had done during his time with the 212th. Sobbing and choking, they held tight, comforting and supporting each other through their grief.  
'I miss him already.' Boil gasped, burying his face in Cody's shoulder.  
'You'll see him again in a couple of months. Next rotation, he'll be waiting.' Cody replied, still trying to bring Boil some comfort through their shared grief.  
'I don't know if I can spend a month and walk away again.' Boil admitted, fresh tears falling as he tried to come to terms with what his life would be now.  
'We'll work something out, Boil. I want you to be happy.' Cody promised, determined to do something to reunite the pair.

Hiding a yawn in Cody's shoulder, Boil blinked slowly and rested his head on Cody's shoulder again, grief replaced by a deep seated exhaustion. Nodding slowly, Cody guided him towards the spare bunk in his quarters, usually only used when there was another ranking clone onboard.  
'Get some rest, vod'ika. You've had a hard day, I'll stay with you.' Cody uttered, guiding him down onto the bunk.  
'I have to go pack Waxer's things.' Boil protested, resting on his elbows and looking up at Cody.  
'Rest a few hours then we'll both pack his things. I'll even see if I can get a transport mission authorised so it can be delivered quickly.' Cody offered, knowing full well that Boil wasn't up to dealing with Waxer's things in his current state.  
'vor'e ori'vod.' Boil nodded, allowing Cody to tuck him in gently. 'It's going to be hard without him around.'  
'I know, little brother. Shh, rest now. I'll be right here until you're ready to face the galaxy again.' Cody grinned, ruffling his hair lightly. 'No one will bother you.'

Padding over to his own bunk and changing into a pair of sleep shorts, Cody stretched out and yawned but he knew sleep would not come easily for him. He still had to figure out how to reunite Boil and Waxer. He refused to let this damned war tear them apart again. One way or another, those two would spend what was left of their lives together.


	26. Homecoming

Paying for the lift out to the facility, Emily breathed in the clean air and made sure her sons had all their belongings before ushering them towards the main homestead. Fox and 99 quickly took charge for her, allowing Emily to go and check on the rest of the family as they herded the youngsters towards the buildings to unpack and put their things away before going out to join their brothers.

Sending her bags inside with one of the droids that was lingering near the front door, Emily turned and headed east, wondering what the hospital was like now. It had been almost empty when she left but surely there would have been a delivery of wounded in the last couple of weeks. They were getting to be fairly regular now.  
'Emily! Thank the Force you're home.' Aloysius called, sprinting up the side of the convalescence home to join her.  
'What's all the excitement Aloysius? I told you I'd be back before the next transition.' Emily shrugged, releasing her hair and shaking it out. 'You got my confirmation message?'  
'Building is already underway. Ralph's down there supervising the construction.' Aloysius nodded, catching her hand to stop her. 'We need to talk, in private.'  
'What, no concerns for where Rufus is?' Emily asked, surprised by the seriousness in Aloysius' covered eyes. 'He's still on Saleucami, on standby to bring the Lawquane family home. Transport from Saleucami to Alderaan is sketchy at best.'  
'I know Rufus can take care of himself, he doesn't always need me to protect him.' Aloysius shrugged, guiding Emily away from the buildings and into the tree line separating the main buildings from the landing pads.  
'This must be serious if we're going all the way over here.' Emily remarked, allowing Aloysius to guide her to the mustering area over near the big landing pad for the Republic cruisers.

Sitting on one of the benches arranged in neat rows, Emily really didn't like the look in Aloysius' eyes or the way he held both her hands tightly in his. She liked it even less when he hesitated, dropping his gaze for a moment before looking into her eyes with unadulterated fear and worry.  
'Emily, there's something you should know about the latest casualty list. They arrived last week; they're all settled in comfortably, 138 in grand total.' Aloysius offered, tightening his grip when Emily tried to pull away. 'I'm not finished yet Emily.'  
'How much more is there Aloysius? I've got to get back into the rhythm of this place. There are so many wounded boys that need their mother.' Emily sighed, desperate to get out there and be with her sons.  
'There's another of your sons sitting in the brig, waiting for your decision on his treatment. He's accused of disobeying orders, attacking a Jedi and pointing a weapon at a senior officer.' Aloysius continued, gathering his courage to give Emily the worst news.  
'Who would do that?' Emily asked, mind snapping back to the present.  
'You won't believe this Emily but its Dogma.' Aloysius replied, holding her back again. 'Would you sit still and let me finish this briefing?'  
'Sorry, I just…Dogma showed such promise. I can't think why he would do that.' Emily nodded, settling back and trying not to worry. 'Did Tup come with him?'  
'No, Tup's still on the line.' Aloysius sighed, finding it easier to talk about anything but what he was meant to be discussing.

Gathering his courage and ready for a dramatic explosion, Aloysius shifted closer to Emily, not trying to crowd her but he wanted to be ready for any possible reaction from her.  
'There's more, Emily. On the casualty list, there were six very familiar names. Six of your first 28 are here, four are classed serious but stable but the other two are classed critical. One is so critical that he's being kept in a totally sterile environment.' Aloysius explained, grabbing Emily around the waist when she tried to take off. 'Calm down, you're no good to anyone when you're all flustered and panicked.'  
'I have to get to my sons, Aloysius. Let me go.' Emily growled, trying to break his grip and get back to her most favoured sons.  
'You don't even know who is here. Udesii let me finish telling you the story and then you can run off. Listen to what I know and prepare yourself for what is ahead.' Aloysius coaxed, holding on despite her struggles. 'I will not let you go Emily, not until you hear everything I have to say.'

Immediate panic fading away, Emily sagged back onto the bench, a deep numbness flowing over her. Six of her favoured sons were seriously injured and another sat in her brig, waiting for her decision. It was too much to handle but she knew it was only going to get worse.  
'Tell me Aloysius, leave out no details. They are my sons, I deserve to know the full story for each one.' she uttered, bracing for the worst.  
'First is Droidbait, he's the least injured of the group. He has some severe blaster burns on his chest and abdomen. He drew the attention of several droids to clear out enough space for a gunship to land to rescue the wounded. He was found about an hour later by Kix and Jesse, barely alive but he's rallied.' Aloysius offered, still clinging to Emily's hand as she stared ahead.  
'I always knew Droidbait's antics would get him into trouble.' Emily whispered, bowing her head sadly. 'At least he is alive.'  
'Second is Waxer, he's only slightly worse off that Droidbait. He was leading a charge against the droids; Cody gave him the squad to see how he could handle leadership. His first battle as a squad leader was a success. But the droids pushed back, forcing Cody to lead the second charge out to rescue the first. Waxer was found in a crater, two burns on his chestplate and one on the abdomen. He managed to walk back to their camp with help but has been suffering from severe numbness and weakness in his left arm.' Aloysius continued, trying to be gentle while still giving Emily all the information she wanted.  
'What about Boil?' Emily asked, hoping for a small mercy for Waxer.  
'He's still on active duty, no injuries to report according to the listings we received.' Aloysius replied, understanding her concern.  
'Be strong Waxer, you'll be reunited with Boil soon.' Emily sighed, filing away the information for later thought.  
'Third on the list would have to be Hevy, he's got some nasty burns but considering, 25% of his body covered with second degree burns isn't too bad. He got separated from his brothers and wound up leading a bunch of shinys through some of the worst combat on that battlefield. He ended up using grenades and spare tibanna cartridges to make a bomb, wrapped it in his bodyglove shirt and half buried it right where the droids were expected to walk. He put his armour back on against bare skin and sent his men to shelter further away from the blast. He shot his IED and ran for safety but he didn't make it. He was caught in the explosion and severely burned along his inadequately protected back.' Aloysius offered, finding it harder to get through the stories as he went up the list.  
'Now why am I not surprised by that? Hevy always did have a thing for explosions and making a big statement. But knowing his penchant for over doing things, I'm surprised he's alive at all. He has a bad habit of going overboard.' Emily nodded, a faint smile on her lips at the thought of the mess Hevy probably made.

Taking a deep, calming breath to steady his nerves, Aloysius readied to move onto the main three concerns. It was getting harder to tell the stories, he didn't want to keep doing this but he'd promised the others that he would bring Emily up to speed on her injured sons.  
'Take your time, Aloysius. I can tell this is hard on you.' Emily smiled faintly, reaching out to lightly stroke one unshaken cheek. 'Tell me something good that happened while I was away.'  
'Something good? Let me think.' Aloysius uttered, caught off guard by her request. 'Libby had a foal, another filly. We're pretty sure Diablo is the sire. She's a beautiful little girl, pale gold coat like her mother but her mane and tail are black. Shane decided to call her Mel, for my wife.'  
'She sounds beautiful, Aloysius. I'm sure she'll make a wonderful addition to the herd.' Emily nodded, the sombre mood lifting for a moment. 'Ready to continue?'  
'Yeah, thanks Emily. I needed that moment.' Aloysius grinned, a little more settled but this was still going to be hard. 'Next in severity would have to be Cutup, he was attacked by a creature the likes of which no one had ever seen or heard of before. The best description is a tentacled worm that lives underground but hunts in surprise attacks. Its wide, circular jaws got him around the chest, piercing his armour like it wasn't even there. His brothers were able to force the beast to let him go but not before the damage was done. Multiple broken bones, severe internal bleeding and one tooth actually pierced through his sternum and nicked the pericardium. Not enough to kill but it was close. Another tooth punched right through his right elbow, almost completely obliterating the joint as well as damaging the ulnar and radial nerves.'  
'Oh Cutup, my dear boy. You didn't deserve that, I expect you'll be one I will need to keep a close eye on now. There will be many disturbed nights after this.' Emily groaned, hanging her head.  
'So far he's holding up alright. Veronique stays with him at night but she says he's not as pained by any of it as was expected.' Aloysius shrugged, wondering if maybe Cutup was hiding something or he just wasn't as easily scared now.  
'You watch, Aloysius. I guarantee that having his mother will bring about a change in Cutup.' Emily smirked, familiar with her sons.

Now it was really getting hard for Aloysius, the news was only getting worse and chances of survival slimmer but he couldn't stop. He had to get it all done before he could finally break down and let Emily see just how hard this had all been for them.   
'Echo is one of the two critical patients. He has extensive burns over 65 percent of his body. Fifteen percent third degree and fifty percent second degree burns. He was on a solo mission, sent into enemy territory to steal a Seppie shuttle from their base. He made it into the enemy camp without a problem and was just sitting down at the controls of his chosen ship when he spotted three rocket droids lining up on his craft. He tried to escape, but he was caught in the blast. Somehow, defying all the odds, he managed to get to a second shuttle and escape. He even managed to make it back to friendly territory but landing the shuttle and shutting down the engines was too much. He was found passed out behind the controls, armour still smoking but alive.' Aloysius swallowed, watching Emily closely for a reaction.  
'Where are the third degree burns located?' Emily asked, shaking as she sat there and tried to come to terms with what she was hearing.  
'Mostly on his arms and a little on the back of his neck. He was smart; he made sure to protect his face and torso as much as he could.' Aloysius grinned, quite proud of how Echo had reacted in such a situation.  
'Echo always pays attention to what's being said around him, he knows it might come in useful one day.' Emily agreed, looking at her hands for a moment. 'Tell me honestly Aloysius, is the last son you wish to discuss, Fives?'  
'No Emily, Fives survived the battle unscathed. His name did not come up on the KIA list and he wasn't on the list of those transported to the nearest medical station for immediate aid.' Aloysius replied, grateful for the brief reprieve.  
'I do not know who to feel more pain for. The four Domino brothers here, facing their various recoveries and lives forever altered by their injuries or Fives, the last serving Domino brother. Yes he has Rex and all his brothers in the 501st but those five have always been together.' Emily confessed, lifting her gaze to the heavens. 'I do not know how Fives will cope without them beside him.'  
'Fives is strong, he will survive.' Aloysius nodded, absolutely certain of that fact.

Eyes closing, Aloysius tried to get a grip on his emotions before he continued. He knew Emily would not handle this last story at all. He was barely able to handle it and he'd had a week to adjust to the idea of what he was seeing.  
'Of all the boys that came in with this delivery of wounded clones, Hardcase would have to be the most serious case of all of them. He has some of the most severe burns I have ever seen on a man. He was asked to join a commando mission after the assigned commando team lost a member during the ground fighting. It was a simple enough job, take the stolen shuttle up to the droid command ship and destroy as many vital systems as they could before being detected. Upon detection, they were to use EV suits to make their escape from the droid ship. It was all going to plan; Hardcase was instrumental in destroying the shield generators and many of the fighters in the hangers. But something went wrong when they went for the main reactor. Hardcase was able to get into the main reactor room via a ventilation duct, but when the commandos went to follow him, the duct was blocked by a ray shield. Hardcase followed their instructions to set their demolition charges but there was no way he could escape the room before it blew. Hardcase gave the commando team a message for Kix and Jesse before he ran deeper into the reactor room. His EV suit was found floating in the debris after the droid ship exploded, it was damaged but scans indicated a life inside. The suit was retrieved and brought onto one of the cruisers. Inside, minus his armour and severely burned all over, Hardcase somehow defied the odds.' he explained, ignoring the tears rolling down his cheeks as he held Emily tight, stroking her hair softly.   
'Hardcase, my dearest Hardcase.' Emily uttered, tears falling freely as she thought about what he must have endured. 'You deserved so much better than that, you should never have even been there my son.'  
'He defied the odds again to survive a week, no one should be able to survive 95 percent third degree burns but somehow, Hardcase is holding on.' Aloysius added, trying to be strong for Emily as she fell apart.  
'What are his chances, Aloysius?' Emily asked, sagging into his strength.  
'between the constant attention of the medical team and healers that the Jedi sent, his chances are improving every day but no one knows for sure if he will ever be back to any semblance of the young man we all know and love.' Aloysius sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'He rallied on the first day he was here, proving everyone wrong but there's just no way to know.'  
'The Jedi offered to help him?' Emily blinked, lifting her head from his shoulder. 'I didn't expect that from them.'  
'I asked for their assistance. Master Yoda was reluctant but after consideration, he sent us four master healers and their Padawans.' Aloysius nodded, relaxing his grip slowly. 'There's one more thing Emily.'  
'No more bad news Aloysius, I've got enough to think about now.' Emily groaned, gathering her strength and drawing away.  
'No, it's not bad news. I did something on the first night Hardcase was here, something that seemed to benefit him.' Aloysius replied, hoping Emily didn't take offence.

Wiping her face and taking a minute to get her raging emotions back under control, Emily turned to Aloysius again, trying to be strong when all she really wanted to do was curl up and cry for a few hours until it all stopped hurting so much.  
'Remember that adoption vow you were talking about? Ni kry'tayl gai sa'ad.' Aloysius asked, idly fiddling with the braided leather wristband Fox had made for his last birthday.  
'I know your name as my child. I remember Aloysius, I thought it would be a useful Mando'a phrase for everyone to use.' Emily nodded, reaching out to still his hands. 'Why do you mention it now? I did not think it that important.'  
'What were you expecting when we did use it? You are their buir but you must have had some sort of expectation.' Aloysius pushed, needing to know if he'd made a mistake.  
'Aloysius, what does it matter? You're not making any sense.' Emily sighed, giving him a shake.  
'I adopted Hardcase, using the declaration as you taught us. He was in such pain and seemed to take comfort from just hearing my voice as the medical team treated him. I didn't think about it, it felt so right to take him as my own and grant him a family name.' Aloysius explained, struggling to meet her eyes. 'He was yours first but…'  
'Aloysius, you did exactly what I was hoping would happen. There are so many clones and I am just one woman. You are as close to them as a father, even though they call you Uncle. Share your name, guide them to call you father if they wish and let them be happy.' Emily soothed, cupping his cheek softly. 'You did the right thing.'  
'Thank you, I needed to know if I'd screwed up your plans.' Aloysius nodded, relaxing under her gentle touch.  
'Just don't go thinking you can steal all my boys. I will be staking my claims on some of my sons; the rest will be fair game to whoever declares their intentions first. But to be fair, perhaps we should wait until Rufus comes home before we start openly adopting groups of clones.' Emily suggested, getting to her feet. 'Come on, there are a lot of sons that need their mother.'  
'Right with you Emily.' Aloysius grinned, getting up and escorting her back towards the main part of the compound.

#~#~^~#~#

Gazing out the window as he thought about his brothers, Cutup was feeling pretty damn useless. It hurt to breathe, it hurt to move and his right arm was all done up in some weird looking contraption that kept his elbow bent in the most useful position and made absolutely sure he couldn't move it out of alignment.

Across the walkway, Waxer wasn't feeling much better. Burns covered in fresh dressings and left arm strapped up in an elbow brace and sling, he was uncomfortable and in a bad mood. But bad mood or not, he knew what to do when one of his brothers was feeling low.  
'You okay, Cutup?' he asked, carefully sitting up and adjusting the pillow at his back.  
'Huh? Oh, yeah. Just thinking.' Cutup nodded, tearing his eyes away from the window. 'Missing Fives and worried about Echo mostly.'  
'I understand vod. I miss Boil so much.' Waxer sighed, adjusting his sling. 'Fek, this sling is going to piss me off.'  
'I hear you there. Hopefully I'll get some use back in this hand; I don't like this at all.' Cutup agreed, looking at the cage locking his elbow into place.  
'Yeah, these cages are scary looking things.' Waxer grinned, peering into his sling.  
'At least yours is hidden. The medics want me to try and use what I've got left of this arm. But with only two fingers that I can feel properly, it's impossible.' Cutup sighed, flicking his hair out of his eyes. 'But I suppose that'll teach me to not watch where I'm going.'  
'It wasn't your fault, Cutup. No one knew that beast was there.' Droidbait offered, rolling over in his bed. 'Even the General was caught by surprise and you know that's a tall order.'  
'Yeah, I know 'Bait. I still feel like an idiot though.' Cutup nodded, lightly touching one of the dressings on his chest. 'But I'm alive, that's what really counts. I owe my brothers a lot for getting me away from that beast alive and intact.'  
'That's what family is all about, 'Bait. We look out for each other.' Hevy added, voice muffled by his pillow but he got his meaning across.

Heads coming up when the door slid open, all four broke into wide smiles as Emily entered the room with Aloysius, her dark eyes missing nothing as she looked around. For a brief moment she frowned but it quickly disappeared, replaced by a fond smile as she moved forward to greet them properly.

Hevy came up on his elbow when her hand lightly glided through his hair; it was easy for him to ignore the twinge of pain from his back when he looked up at her. Again there was a flash of sorrow in her eyes but it vanished before he could question it.  
'Aloysius told me what you did Hevy. I'm so proud of you for protecting your younger brothers like you did. That said, you might have overdone the fireworks just a little bit, dear one.' Emily smiled, leaning in to kiss his forehead.  
'My only regret is leaving Fives on the battlefield alone.' Hevy replied, enjoying the gentle contact as Emily checked him over. 'Medics say I should be out of here in another couple of weeks, all going well.'  
'That is good news, my son.' Emily nodded, guided him back down comfortably. 'Rest now, I'll come back later and tell you all about my trip away.'  
'I'd like that buir.' Hevy grinned, settling comfortably and closing his eyes.  
'Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum.' Emily whispered, relaxing a little now that she knew Hevy was looking better than she'd imagined.

Boots clicking softly against the floor, Emily glided around Hevy's bed to stop beside Waxer, reaching out to stroke his cheek lightly. Eyes closing, Waxer soaked up the adoration of his mother, so glad she was home.  
'I know, Waxer, I know. You did such a good job, Cody was right to trust in your abilities. You couldn't have known what the klankers were planning. Don't feel bad that you were injured, you did an incredible job with what you had. I'm so proud of your efforts.' Emily praised, fingers skimming over his left arm.  
'I see what you're doing there buir but it's pointless. I've only got patchy sensation left.' Waxer sighed, looking up at her sadly. 'I can't even grip anymore.'  
'It's only been a week, dear Waxer. Have faith, you will regain at least some use in this hand.' Emily soothed, gently taking his left hand between hers. 'You just have to keep trying.'  
'It feels wrong, buir.' Waxer uttered, trying so hard to close his fingers around hers. 'It doesn't feel like it's part of me anymore.'  
'You have some nerve damage. With time, it will improve, I promise.' Emily coaxed, releasing his hand and cupping his cheek. 'I'll be right here to help you, don't worry.'  
'I trust you, buir.' Waxer nodded, enjoying the contact until Emily kissed his forehead and drew away again.

Lifting his gaze when Emily leant against his bed, Cutup smiled softly as she took in his dressings and the cage around his elbow. Struggling to stay still as Emily traced her fingers across the top of the dressing wrapped around his chest, Cutup waited to see what Emily would say. He could only hope she was proud of him.  
'It wasn't your fault, Cutup. None of this was your fault. You did the best you could, no one knew that monster was beneath the ground. I heard how you tried to defend your ground, you did such a good job. You should be proud, you survived a beast that could have easily killed you.' Emily offered, drawing him into a gentle hug. 'You survived, that's what really matters.'  
'My brothers made sure of it, buir. I wouldn't be here if not for them.' Cutup nodded, relaxing into her arms. He knew what she was doing, she was checking out the bandages on his back.  
'You played your part in your survival as well.' Emily grinned, easing him back. 'You wanted to live and so you fought for it.'  
'I wanted to come home.' Cutup admitted, adjusting where his injured elbow was resting. 'But I'm scared now buir, I don't like this.'  
'Shhh, I know Cutup, I know. But the cage is only temporary. Once you're all healed up, you won't need it anymore.' Emily soothed, tipping his chin up. 'You will always have a locked joint, but you will be okay, I know you will adapt. Whatever you face, I will be here with you.'  
'I will make you proud, buir.' Cutup promised, not happy with the idea of a locked joint but at least he still had his arm.  
'You already have, Cutup.' Emily whispered, kissing his forehead and settling him back. 'Sleep, you have endured much, my son. I will be near if you need me at all.'

Not even trying to sit up, knowing it would strain his healing abdomen, Droidbait shuffled over on his bed to make space for Emily to sit and lit up with a happy smile as she sat and leant over to toy with his hair lightly.  
'What am I going to do with you, Droidbait? You take your name as a challenge.' she chuckled, shaking her head slowly. 'what you did was brave, you made sure the gunships had enough space to land and whisk the wounded away but you made the mistake of going alone.'  
'There was no time to rally a team.' Droidbait uttered, dropping his gaze sadly.  
'There is always time, Droidbait. But that is not important now. What is important is you survived and made it home in one piece.' Emily corrected, guiding his face back up. 'You did good, my son, I am proud of you.'  
'What will I do now, buir? All I have known is war.' Droidbait asked, lost without the constant life of war around him.  
'You will find your feet again, 'Bait. There will be chances to train with your brothers, once you have healed. But I urge you to try your hands at more peaceful pursuits. Your belongings will be delivered soon, I look forward to hearing you play again. I know you 'Bait, you will find your permanent place here.' Emily guided, clasping his hands gently. 'You will make a fine ori'vod for the youngsters that turn up.'  
'I'll do my best buir. This feels so strange, it's like a dream.' Droidbait nodded, a soft smile on his face as he thought about what his life could be now. 'I'm free.'  
'Heal first, 'Bait, then you can truly be free. You will bring a new spark to life here, everyone does. And maybe, one day in the future, you will pass the tests and have a chance to go back out into the galaxy. Not onto the front lines, I won't allow it but Fox could probably use you on Coruscant.' Emily suggested, not really sure she liked the idea but it might work.  
'No, buir. I have had enough of fighting. Regardless of my recovery, I'm staying here on Alderaan.' Droidbait replied, his path clear before him.  
'A wise choice, Bait.' Emily nodded, tugging up his blankets. 'Rest my son, I will be back later. There is still so much for me to do.'

#~#~^~#~#

Curled up in an attempt to keep warm, Dogma lifted his head at the sound of the brig door sliding open behind him. He was getting hungry so it was probably one of the droids with his next uninspiring meal, probably another dish of lukewarm stew and stale bread with a canteen of water to wash it down. Admittedly, it was better fare than he'd get in any Republic lockup but it still hurt to know his family was treating him like this.

Sure enough, Will, the bronze plated protocol droid shuffled into view, an old metal tray held in both hands. Uncurling and getting up, Dogma approached the shield and reached out to take the tray as Will passed it through the small gap that opened up. Bowing his head in thanks, Dogma retreated to his bunk to eat, listening as Will shuffled away again.

He tried not to taste the pitiful food, he was feeling miserable enough as it was without adding to his burden by evaluating the flavours of this below standard meals. As expected, the bread was more like a brick but after tearing it up and leaving it to soak in the weak broth, it was at least swallowable.

Scraping his bowl clean, Dogma set his tray on the small table and sat back on his bunk, keeping his canteen close. Staring at the far wall, his mind drifted to the only other company he'd had since being locked up. A little kitten, smoky grey with white paws, had snuck in one night while he was being escorted back from a shower. Dogma had found him curled up under his cot, blood staining his long fur from several scratches. Dogma had fished him out and washed him off with the last of his water ration before settling down on his bunk and letting the kitten curl up inside his jumpsuit.

It wasn't to be though. Will saw the kitten the next morning and instructed Dogma to hand it over. When he refused, Will threatened to stop delivering meals. As much as he enjoyed the company of a pet, Dogma knew the droid was serious so the kitten was sent out the meal slot in return for his breakfast.

Shaken out of his thoughts at the sound of the main door opening again, Dogma obediently stood and grabbed his tray, carrying it over to the shield opening and pushing it out onto the small shelf built into the door. Getting back onto his bunk, he curled up with his back to the wall and half closed his eyes, trying to sleep away another few hours before going through his stretches and exercises again.

But something was off about the approaching footsteps. Those weren't the shuffling footsteps of Will, the pace and weight were wrong for a droid. Dogma couldn't find a reason to care though, it was probably Shane checking on him via the mirrors inside the main door. From there, someone at the door could see into both cells but anyone in the cells couldn't see the mirrors.

Getting as comfortable as he could on the thin mattress, Dogma sighed and let his mind drift, going back to his time with Tup. He regretted leaving Tup behind but he'd done what felt right, just like Emily taught them. What they'd been asked to do by their temporary General was wrong, it went against everything they were taught on Kamino and by their mother. He hadn't wanted to threaten Rex but he was the only one ho was clinging to Emily's teachings and so he'd pulled his carbine on Rex, trying to make his brothers see what he saw. But they hadn't seen until it was too late to save so many.

Bringing his right hand up, he gazed at the neatly inked blue teardrop on the inside of his wrist. Tup had done it for him, to celebrate a year together. To cement their relationship, Dogma had tattooed an exact copy of his own facial tattoo on Tup's chest, right over his heart. Dogma could only hope Tup kept to their promises in his absence.

Head coming up when he heard purposeful footsteps coming closer, Dogma shifted into a more comfortable position, wondering who would actually approach his cell. He'd only seen Will since he was imprisoned. Instead of a mischievous brother sneaking in to torment him or a concerned brother coming to ask if he needed any help, it was a completely unexpected surprise. Standing outside his cell, arms folded across her chest, was his buir.

Losing his usual grace in his hurry to explain his actions to his mother, Dogma shot off his bunk and hit the floor hard, a loud snap echoing through the cell. Instantly, fire raced up Dogma's right arm and he screamed in agony, instinctively curling up to protect his arm. Nothing he had ever felt in his life had ever hurt like he hurt right now. Trying to stay still, he wept helplessly, clutching his arm.

Within seconds, Emily was there beside him, rolling him over and guiding him up to rest against her chest lightly. Holding him close, she rocked slowly, stroking his hair softly as she whispered soothing words against his temple. He was safe now, but all he could focus on was the pain. He flinched and cried out in pain again when Emily gently wrapped her hand over his throbbing arm, guiding it closer to his chest and supporting where it hurt.

Then someone else was there, a deeper voice offering reassurance as something soft was pressed against his arm, drawing it closer to his body and immobilising it completely. Emily's grip left him and he tensed, frightened that she would leave him again. But she was still there, whispering softly in his ear as she pulled the cloth tight behind his back and tied it off securely. It still hurt but it was more of a standard battlefield pain now, losing the sharp edges and allowing him to concentrate on the situation around him.

Breath calming, he lifted his head slowly and looked up at Emily, so glad she was home. Maybe now he would find his freedom and could explain why. Opening his mouth to speak, he was silenced by a gentle finger against his lips.  
'You can tell me later, Dogma. For now, we need to get you to the medics.' Emily soothed, brushing a soft kiss across his forehead. 'Your health is all that matters right now.'  
'Vor'e buir.' Dogma nodded, so very glad she was home. 'I missed you.'  
'I missed you too Dogma.' Emily replied, drawing away slowly. 'Just relax, we've got you.'  
'It's okay Dogma, you can trust us.' Aloysius added, crouching on his other side. 'No one will know about this.'  
'vor'e ba'vodu.' Dogma replied, bracing for pain as he was guided to his feet but there was none.

Wrapped up in a long, blue cloak, Dogma felt so much safer as Emily draped one arm around his back and guided him out of the brig, so gentle with him. Heading for the stairs, Emily glanced past him to Aloysius, a hard look in her eyes.  
'Find out who was supposed to be responsible for the brig and tell them I wish to speak with them in my office tonight at 2000 hours.' Emily instructed, a cold fury in her eyes that only Aloysius saw and recognised. He'd only seen it once and he'd spent a month in hospital afterwards.  
'I'll pass the message Emily.' Aloysius nodded, wondering if Shane would be around to see the coming dawn. 'But do remember, we are so few to parent so many.'  
'There will still be ten with the dawn, Aloysius.' Emily promised, reassuring Dogma with a smile and a light ruffle of his hair. 'I simply wish to review protocols.'  
'I understand Emily.' Aloysius grinned, drawing away and breaking into a smooth jog.

#~#~^~#~#

Floating in a fairly strong bacta solution, Echo had a lot of time to think about his actions, his future and most of all, his brothers. He knew he was going to be in this solution for a while but it was a bearable inactivity. He could kick around a little and stretch out sore muscles carefully as the bacta worked on the burns all over his body. The density had been altered just enough that he mostly sunk in the solution, with just his head and the curve of his shoulders breaking the surface. His shoulders were thankfully unburned and the minor burns on his face were being treated by a standard bacta salve, diligently applied every three hours by the medics on duty.

Echo couldn't say that his time in the burns ward was boring. He was one of nine floating in a horizontal tank and they were all making the best of a bad situation. It was hard to feel bad for being stuck in an open tank like this when it could have been so much worse. So they passed the time with rowdy conversations and enjoyed watching boloball on the screens mounted above each tank. They shared stories and talked about their Squad-brothers, living and dead alike.

There were peaceful times too, times when Emily's gifts were shared freely among the group. Not everyone could share but those that could more than made up for those that couldn't yet. Echo had tried once, using a board that one of the medics provided but his hands were still tender and the board didn't have the right structure to carry a decent beat. But there were still songs and music a plenty and when he knew the words, Echo would join with the songs, enjoying a chance to practise what he'd been learning from Cutup.

At the moment, it was a quiet time, everyone either asleep or lost in peaceful thoughts. Eyes closed, Echo relaxed into the solution, settling against the small pillow attached to the tank for comfort. Mind drifting, he thought first of his injured brothers elsewhere in the hospital but knowing he would see them as soon as he was released from the ward, his mind drifted to Fives instead. He was on his own now, the last Domino brother on active duty. Even with his close brothers onboard and six members of Emily's first 28 still with the 501st, he would be lonely now. They were a team, now that team was broken.

One eye cracking open at the sound of someone nearby, Echo grinned and snapped his other eye open, unconcerned about his state as he looked up at Emily, home at last. But she didn't look happy, she looked tired and angry, a combination that never made for a good time.  
'Buir, what troubles you?' he asked, sitting up as much as his injuries would allow.  
'It's nothing you need to worry about Echo. Today has been a trying day but tomorrow will be better.' Emily sighed, settling on the low stool beside his tank. 'How are you feeling, dearest Echo? I spoke with the medics, they say you should be fit to leave your tank in a few days.'  
'I'm okay, buir. It's not so bad in here. The brothers are good company, the bacta is always kept at a comfortable temperature and I know I am lucky to be alive.' Echo shrugged, wincing when one of the burns on the back of his neck pulled painfully. 'But I'll be glad when the ones on the back of my neck heal, they really hurt.'  
'I heard what you did Echo, risking your life on that solo mission. I'm so proud of you, you faced a mission that by all reports shouldn't have been a solo and you came out in one piece. A little crispy around the edges but still, you did an amazing job.' Emily praised, looking him over slowly. 'You've earned your peace, Echo.'  
'I'm worried about Fives, buir. He's the last Domino out there.' Echo uttered, leaning into her touch when she reached out to run her fingers through his hair. 'Sure, he's got six of the first 28 but they can't replace Domino.'  
'Five of the first 28...Dogma was delivered home the day after you arrived.' Emily corrected, holding up her hand to forestall the questions she knew would come. 'I don't have the full story yet, Echo.'  
'Five left…the 501st has taken a pounding. I don’t know if Rex can keep them all motivated to continue following your teachings without our help.' Echo sighed, dropping his gaze sadly.  
'Rex will do the best he can and the rotations will continue as rostered. My love will still reach them, don't worry Echo. When I have a moment, I'll send Fives a message, letting him know that you are all safe and on the road to recovery.' Emily soothed, wondering how long it would be before Fives joined the ranks of wounded here. 'I'll let him know you're all thinking of him and hoping he's doing okay out there.'  
'Tell him that we love him, that'll make him smile.' Echo nodded, wishing he was still out there.  
'I'll make sure he knows how much he is loved and missed.' Emily smiled, patting her pockets quickly. 'Here's an idea, why don't you record your own message for him, something he can keep and replay when times are tough. I'll go see Hevy, 'Bait and Cutup later so they can do the same.'  
'Fives would like that buir.' Echo grinned, adjusting his position as Emily set the holorecorder on the small table across the tank.  
'I'll go spend a few minutes with the other boys in here while you make your message.' Emily offered, getting up and turning on the recorder.  
'Hey Fives, hope you're holding up out there without me watching your back. I'm okay brother, a little crispy around the edges but I'll be released from medical in another few days. I'm sorry we had to leave you behind but I know you'll be okay, you've still got Rex and the others from the first 28 to talk to when you're lonely. They'll take care of you…'

#~#~^~#~#

With the four recorded messages for Fives tucked in an internal pocket of her jacket and Dogma tucked up in the guest bedroom within her private suite, Emily knew she couldn't put off this last visit any longer. She lingered in every ward, offering support and comfort to her wounded sons but now it was time to confront her nightmares. She took some comfort in knowing that Aloysius was beside her but it was still going to be hard to face what was waiting for her.

Heading back up to the fourth floor of the hospital, she followed him to the ICU and tried to relax as he guided her to one of the internal windows. The curtains were open, revealing the horror scene inside as the medical team worked around the seriously injured man. One of the medics looked back and saw her, eyes wide in shock as she took in the devastation.

Emily gasped as the crowd parted, revealing what was left of Hardcase. The picture in her mind had been grim but nothing could have prepared her for the sight of her son, burned so severely and laid out under UV lights to kill any bacteria in the air around him.  
'I'm sorry Emily, there really is no way to ease the shock of seeing Hardcase.' Aloysius uttered, glancing down at the bucket one of the junior medics placed by his feet.  
'It hardly seems possible that he survived at all.' Emily uttered, eyes locked on their shared son as he fought the hardest fight. 'I knew Hardcase was tough but this is unbelievable.'  
'He's looking better today. When he first arrived, he was in even worse shape.' Aloysius offered, squeezing her shoulder lightly. 'Shall we see if he's coherent today?'  
'He's been coherent since he was injured? I find that hard to believe.' Emily scoffed, still reeling from actually seeing Hardcase.  
'We can try.' Aloysius shrugged, reaching out to tap the intercom beside the window. 'How is Hardcase today?'  
"He's responding well to the combined treatment. Master Tycha and her Padawan have had some success rebuilding his face but it will take a lot more time before we see any real results." One of the medics replied, looking up from his work. "Hardcase, you have some visitors."

Lifting her gaze when one of the medics pointed, Emily jumped a little when she looked Hardcase in the eye, thanks to a carefully angled mirror above his bed. She was even more surprised when he smiled faintly, recognising her presence and responding to the sight.  
'How are you feeling, Hardcase?' Aloysius asked, taking the lead as Emily tried to comprehend what she was witnessing.  
"Tired mostly." Hardcase replied, eyes on Emily as he spoke. "Buir?"  
'It's okay, Hardcase. I wasn't expecting you to be coherent in your state.' Emily grinned, putting on an aura of confidence for her son.  
"Doesn't happen often." Hardcase responded, grumbling when someone walked into his limited eye line. "Glad you're home, buir."  
'So am I, Hardcase.' Emily nodded, wishing she could go in there and touch her son but the time wasn't right. 'I heard about what happened. I am so proud of you Hardcase, you can't know how much. I spoke to the commando team you were working with, they were so impressed with how you handled the mission. They send their best wishes for a speedy recovery.'  
"Did my best, buir." Hardcase offered, pride lighting his eyes at her words. "Had to try…for Jesse and Kix."  
'I'm sure they're both proud of you as well, dearest Hardcase. I'll see if I can reach them and I'll ask if they'd like to record a message for you. A little something to keep you company.' Emily offered, hoping their transmitter could reach the Resolute wherever it was.  
"I'd like that, buir." Hardcase agreed, managing another small smile.  
'Rex will probably have something to say about your actions too.' Emily continued, finding it easier to handle his injuries it she looked into his eyes and nowhere else.  
'We're all very proud of you, Hardcase. Even General Skywalker commented on your actions.' Aloysius added, slipping his hand down to curl around Emily's back.  
"Might get a medal for it?" Hardcase asked, watching his parents happily.  
'Maybe, we'll just have to wait and see.' Emily nodded, making a note to contact Skywalker and see if something could be arranged.  
"Nice thought." Hardcase noted, eyes closing slowly. "Tired now."  
'Get some rest, dear son. We'll come check on you again a bit later.' Emily soothed, resisting the urge to go in there settle him properly.  
'If you need us, one of the medics will pass the message.' Aloysius grinned, knowing that Hardcase understood what he was really saying.

Gifting his parents with another tired smile, Hardcase let his eyes close and drifted peacefully, the constant attention of the medical team making sure he didn't slip away from them for good. Standing there watching him sleep for a few minutes, Emily and Aloysius eventually turned away, leaving him in the trained hands of his brothers and the Jedi.  
'He'll be okay, won't he Aloysius?' Emily asked, allowing him to guide her back towards the stairs. 'He'll come back from this, right?'  
'Hardcase is tough, he's survived what should have killed him. Not once, but twice. He survived the explosion of the droid ship and he survived 95% burns. He's already beating the odds, coherent in just a week after he was injured. Between the bacta and the Jedi healers, he'll be okay.' Aloysius nodded, wishing he had better news for Emily. 'We have to be strong for him, he's looking to us for support to get through this.'  
'Whatever it takes, I'll be there for him.' Emily promised, straightening her shoulders. 'This isn't the homecoming I was hoping for but it's about as good as I should have expected.'  
'Still worried about Dogma?' Aloysius asked, trying to distract Emily from Hardcase's condition.  
'And trying to work out how his nutrition got so bad. That's the first time I've known a clone to trip over and break his arm. Falling out of a tree is one thing but tripping over shouldn't break their bones.' Emily sighed, shaking her head slowly.  
'No vitamin D and basic nutrition might have something to do with it. I guess you'll find out when you talk with Dogma and Shane.' Aloysius shrugged, not sure what else to say.

#~#~^~#~#

Thinking over the story Dogma had told her when she put him to bed properly, Emily was concerned that Shane wasn't holding up to the strain of parenting so many clones. He knew what was needed to keep the clones happy and healthy but he'd forgotten all of it in Dogma's case. As it was, the medics weren't sure they'd be able to get Dogma back to his best, he'd lost a lot of vital nutrients and had failed every basic test done to ensure a clone was ready to face the rigours of their hard lives on the front lines.

Shaking off her thoughts when the door chime sounded, Emily stood and walked over to open the door. She'd dismissed the droids from her private sanctum for the night and turned on the music player in the guest suite so Dogma wasn't woken by their discussion.  
'Right on time Shane, good. Come in, we have much to discuss.' Emily nodded, ushering him in and over to the fireplace.  
'What's this all about, Emily?' Shane asked, settling in one of the hard wood chairs facing the couch. 'I promised Fox I'd come and talk to him before he went to bed.'  
'That might just have to wait, Shane. I want to talk about your behaviour towards Dogma.' Emily replied, getting comfortable on the couch.  
'I followed protocol, as per a clone arriving here with a General's Orders to never again set foot on the field of battle. He was charged with some pretty serious crimes, among them shooting a Jedi and threatening a senior officer. I did what I was supposed to do.' Shane countered, not seeing any argument with his actions.  
'So in response to Dogma's reactions on the battlefield, you isolated him from family, failed to provide adequate nutrition and did not ensure he was given at least two hours of exercise in the courtyard?' Emily mused, her tone light but Shane knew the deadly look in her eyes.  
'The guide book you left stated one hour in the courtyard a day.' Shane shrugged, refusing to be drawn into a debate about imprisonment protocols. 'Which I instructed Will to give him at 1500 hours every day.'  
'You left a droid to maintain vigil over the brig? Now that really is irresponsible, Shane. Will has enough to do just keeping the household running smoothly, he can't cope with more than he already does. Considering your actions, I'm honestly surprised Dogma survived the week.' Emily scowled, absolutely disgusted by Shane's distraction. 'If you'd actually bothered to read the guide book fully, you would have discovered there is actually a jailer droid kept in standby in the storeroom just outside the brig doors.'  
'You didn't think you should have told us about that before you left?' Shane groaned, unable to believe she'd caught him out so easily.

Shaking her head slowly, Emily tried to keep a level head as she considered just what to do about Shane's lack of care. It was hard work parenting all these clones but she hadn't expected anyone to ignore one son to spend more time with everyone else.  
'I didn't think one of my sons would be thrown in the brig for following my teachings. I got the full story from Dogma, he knows better than to tell me anything less than the full truth. They had a temporary General, one who cared only about efficiency and nothing about the lives he was cutting short. He ordered Echo on a solo mission that should have been a three man job. He ordered Hardcase to join a commando squad for a risky attack on an enemy capital ship, despite the fact Hardcase didn't have the right training. Of the 138 wounded brothers that arrived last week, only two were not from that battle with that temporary General. Those last two made the decision to end their careers on their own terms, rather than march blindly in front of a General who didn't care.' Emily growled, eyes hard as steel as she glared at Shane. 'Dogma tried to stop the carnage, he was trying to protect his brothers when he pointed his carbine at Rex. He was hoping they would open their eyes and realise their mistakes but no one saw what he saw.'  
'If that's his story, why would be jeopardize our position here by shooting a Jedi, in the back no less?' Shane asked, leaning back in his chair and trying to think this through logically.  
'Everything he did, he did for his brothers. Rex realised too late that Dogma had been right and the Jedi was taken into custody. But the tide of the battle turned and the risk of the enemy retaking the base was extremely high. So the senior clones made a choice that rather than risk the Jedi gaining his freedom, they would execute him as he tried to execute several of the brothers for disobedience. Rex tried but he couldn't do it. Dogma did though, he stole Fives' pistol and dealt the death blow. It ended his career but he made sure his brothers were safe.' Emily explained, trusting Dogma's report on the incident.  
'…I guess I'm still a little too much Marine and not enough father.' Shane sighed, hanging his head. 'I should have known better.'  
'We all make mistakes Shane, you were deceived by the report Skywalker attached to Dogma's General's Orders. You're not the first one to have fallen for that and I have a feeling it will happen again before everyone gets it right.' Emily soothed, sitting up on the couch and welcoming Shane to sit beside her. 'It's going to be a long road to recovery for Dogma. The medical team I took him to see aren't even sure he'll ever regain all the condition he lost.'  
'That's the way Emily, make me feel even worse.' Shane groaned, shaking his head as he sunk onto the couch comfortably. 'Guess I should figure out how to make it up to him.'  
'Leave him be for tonight, he's tucked up safely in the guest suite where I can keep an eye on him. He's on nutrient shots and painkillers for his arm.' Emily guided, allowing Shane to rest against her shoulder. 'With time, he'll forgive you for this.'

They both jumped at the unexpected scream from the guest suite. Leaving Shane sitting on the couch, Emily bolted into the smaller room with a flutter of her dressing gown. She was back in just a few minutes, Dogma huddled in against her side. Getting up, Shane moved back as Emily settled back on the couch and guided Dogma into her lap, rocking slowly as she calmed his fears again, so gentle and loving as she held him.  
'I'll leave you to your watch Emily. I might still catch Fox and see if I can help him.' Shane offered, keeping his distance for the moment.  
'Of course Shane, but first I think someone wants a little masculine comfort.' Emily nodded, noticing the way Dogma kept glancing up at Shane from where he was curled in against her.  
'Nightmares again?' Shane asked, taking a knee at Emily's feet and looking up at Dogma.  
'Mmm-hmm.' Dogma nodded, lifting his head from Emily's shoulder. 'My last mission.'  
'Want me to go make sure there are no more nasties hanging around in your room?' Shane grinned, pretty much used to this sort of thing.  
'Please, ba'vodu.' Dogma uttered, still clinging desperately to Emily.  
'Alright. You stay here with buir where you'll be safe and I'll go chase away the bad things.' Shane nodded, war face on as he stood and yanked out the pistol he always carried.

Moving quickly but quietly, Shane crossed to the open door of the guest suite and raised his pistol, ready to chase out anything nasty inside. One last look back at Dogma and Shane spun, entering the room in a perfect clearing manoeuvre. The boys always got worried when one of their parental figures was hurt so Shane played up his hero status, calling challenges to the empty room and making it sound like the nasties from Tup's nightmares were putting up a fight. Shane played it up for a good ten minutes before purposefully slamming his head into the nearest wall to make it look like there might have been something in there.  
'And don't come back!' Shane called, lowering his pistol and backing out of the room.  
'Looks like one of them got you a good one Shane.' Emily remarked, playing along with the game. 'You didn't break anything, did you?'  
'Nah, just a bloody nose. Nothing to worry about.' Shane grinned, dabbing at his nose with his sleeve. 'Small price to pay really.'  
'They're all gone?' Dogma asked, head coming up again.  
'It's all safe in there now, Dogma. Those nasties from your nightmares have been kicked out.' Shane nodded, holstering his pistol and coming over to lightly stroke Dogma's hair. 'If they come back again, you know what to do.'  
'Call you, ba'vodu.' Dogma grinned, burrowing back into Emily's embrace.  
'Good boy.' Shane chuckled, dabbing at his nose again. 'Okay, now to go see if Fox is still awake.'


	27. Doubts & Fears

Looking up as the sleek black fighter raced overhead before coming around to land beside the newest building within the boundaries of the facility, Gena slapped on a welcoming smile as the ramp opened and the new family emerged. They looked a little frazzled and the two kids were obviously not thrilled about the long journey but they were home now and all the discomfort would soon be forgotten.

Smile warming at the sight of another returned son, Gena stepped forward to take some of the bags, surprising the exhausted man.  
'Welcome home, ad. I'm ba'vodu Gena.' she smiled, looking down at the children. 'Everything is ready for you to move in and get settled.'  
'Vor entye, ba'vodu.' Cut nodded, turning to look at the private home surrounded by beautiful gardens and with the fields already tilled and waiting for the first crop. 'This is my wife, Suu and our children, Shaeeah and Jekk.'  
'Hello ba'buir.' Shaeeah smiled, waving to Gena as she picked up her own little bag.  
'Did ba'buir Rufus teach you that?' Gena asked, shooting Rufus a warning look as he came around to help with the unloading.  
'It made sense, we're parenting Cut and his brothers so the next generation should be calling us grandparents.' Rufus shrugged, bringing out another four bags.  
'This is all ours?' Cut asked, looking up at the beautiful home and gardens just waiting for them.  
'Everything within this fence line is your private property. You're welcome to share in everything else here but this patch is all yours.' Gena nodded, leading the family towards their home. 'Your buir had the place furnished comfortably and made sure the place was ready for your arrival.'

Swinging the front door open, Gena welcomed the family inside and listened to their delighted voices as they took in the warm and cosy feeling in every room. There was still a faint trace of fresh paint in the air but no one seemed to mind.  
'Ba'vodu Shane will be down later to teach you the different way we farm around here. We don't use machinery; it's too dangerous with all the youngsters running around. It's hard work but it's worth the satisfaction of knowing you put so much effort into growing a fine crop.' Rufus offered, heading upstairs to put the bags down where they belonged.  
'I thought we'd have time to settle in before the work started.' Cut remarked, taking two bags from Suu and heading upstairs.  
'You will, there's no telling when Shane will have the time to get down here. Somehow the rotations got messed up, we're on double duty. We got a batch of cadets from Kamino and the 41st Elite are here for their month of peace.' Gena shrugged, bringing up another load of luggage.  
'That explains why Emily sounded flustered when I commed to let her know we were almost home.' Rufus nodded, helping sort out all the luggage and put it in the appropriate rooms. 'Let me guess, both will get their month and we all hope that double duty doesn't happen too often.'  
'Got it in one, Rufus.' Gena replied, trooping back downstairs to give Suu a hand with the rest of the unloading.

Rufus had done an amazing job with the loading, managing to fit the family and so many of their possessions into the small fighter. Not just the basics but he'd also found space for kitchen equipment, bedding, toys and bags of seed. Everything was carefully unloaded and carried into the house or the small shed attached to the back in the case of the seed bags and other random bits of farming gear.

As expected, the boys came from all around to help with the unloading, accepting bags and boxes and carrying them to wherever they were needed. Cut could only watch in disbelief as brothers came and went, greeting him warmly and helping him feel welcome and loved in his new home. Younger brothers came too, inviting Shaeeah and Jekk to come play with them. Permission asked and received, the youngsters ran off to the playground, promising to look after Shaeeah and Jekk.

Occasionally the wounded would make a show as well, doing what they could to help. They knew their limitations and stuck to them, offering freely of what they had and explaining their injuries to further bring Cut into the family. Noticing one brother standing well back, wearing something reminiscent of a bodysuit but with a tight hood attached to the collar, Cut passed off his latest burden and went to speak with him, curiosity sparked at the strange undergarment.  
'So you're the one that buir had to go find. Welcome to Alderaan, I'm Echo.' his brother greeted, holding up his hands. 'I would shake but I'm supposed to be keeping my hands flat.'  
'Yeah, I'm the one that went missing. The name's Cut Lawquane.' Cut grinned, taking in the neat dressings on his hands. 'Looks like you've had a rough time.'  
'Yeah, got some nasty burns on my last mission. I'm officially off the line, too much damage done. 65 percent of my body, could have been worse.' Echo chuckled, gaze turning back to the busy family unloading the fighter. 'Must be a nice change for you to be back around brothers.'  
'It's strange to be surrounded by my brothers again after so long but I'm sure I'll adjust again soon.' Cut agreed, lightly resting one hand on Echo's shoulder. 'Would you mind doing me a favour, Echo?'  
'No favours for brothers, we all help each other out whenever we can.' Echo corrected, smiling warmly at Cut. 'What can I do to help?'  
'My kids, Shaeeah and Jekk, are over at the playground enjoying their new life. Would you mind keeping an eye on them? None of the boys that came to ask if they wanted to play looked very old.' Cut guided, glancing over towards the playground. 'You can't miss my two, they're both very Twi'lek in appearance.'  
'That'll be the cadets enjoying their childhoods. I'll keep an eye on them Cut, you can trust me to keep them safe. Not that I'll be able to pick them up if they fall, this medi-suit is designed to keep me from over extending healing burns.' Echo agreed, indicating the pale grey suit he was wearing under his clothes. 'So long as I keep wearing this thing, I shouldn't be too seriously scarred by the event.'  
'It's not that noticeable Echo.' Cut reassured him, turning and lightly supporting Echo's hands in his own. 'Before I fled, we didn't have a choice like this. Be glad you have a chance to reduce your scars, I remember a few brothers that hated theirs.'  
'I'll remember that Cut.' Echo smiled, lowering his hands slowly. 'Enjoy your new home, I'll keep your two out of the trouble the cadets stir up.'  
'Thanks Echo.' Cut replied, turning and jogging back towards his home as Echo made his way slowly towards the playground.

#~#~^~#~#

Wondering why Gree had asked to speak with her in absolute privacy, Emily led him into her office and dismissed the droids, guiding him to sit on the couch and settling beside him. He seemed reluctant to speak, elbows resting on his knees and hands clamped together as he stared at the floor between his bare feet.

Lifting his gaze slowly, he looked at Emily with such fear and doubt as to steal her breath away. Whatever he needed to talk about, it was totally serious and he didn't know what else to do about the information he had.  
'Buir, we've told you about a lot of our orders and training but there's one contingency order that has everyone running scared. It's one that we all know, it's drilled into us from the beginning. But we all fear the day it will be given, we don't know what to do. Our orders are clear, we must follow the order if it is given but so much has changed since the order was first given to the first batch of clones.' Gree sighed, hanging his head again. 'Guide us buir, what do we do if we're given the order?'  
'Which order, Gree? Rex showed me a contingency order document but there were so many orders written there. I think it was called "Contingency Orders for the Grand Army of the Republic: Order Initiation, Orders 1 through 150, GAR Document CO(CL) 56-95".' Emily coaxed, trying to recall the document Rex had shown her.  
'All the senior clones have a copy of that document, a ready reckoner to show the shinys what's expected of them. But the senior clones are also expected to know the orders by heart and be able to react to them instantly in the correct manner.' Gree nodded, wringing his hands nervously.  
'Which one, Gree? It's okay, you can trust me with this. No one will know you came to me for advise on these orders.' Emily nodded, wishing she'd paid more attention to the document Rex had shown her.  
'Order 66. In the event of Jedi officers acting against the interests of the Republic, and after receiving specific orders verified as coming directly from the Supreme Commander (Chancellor), GAR commanders will remove those officers by lethal force, and command of the GAR will revert to the Supreme Commander (Chancellor) until a new command structure is established.' Gree recited, still staring at the floor as he spoke.

Eyes blowing wide at the implications of such an order, Emily couldn't believe what she was hearing. To give her sons such an order was forcing them to kill people they called friends. It was far too disturbing to really think about but her mind pulled up images of Cody having to face down Obi-Wan or Rex trying to hurt Ahsoka. It made no sense at all and she knew that if the order was given, her sons would struggle to ignore the order, it was drilled into them too deep. All she could do was guide them and hope her sons loved her enough to follow her words instead of what they'd been drilled to do.

Sighing softly, she shuffled closer and drew Gree into her embrace, guiding him to lean on her shoulder as she stroked his hair softly. Gree was tense in her arms, confused and scared in the face of an order he'd tried so hard not to think about.  
'I know that if this order is ever given, you will be driven by your training to respond appropriately but I also know that you are a smart man, Gree. You will know if the Jedi have truly turned against the Republic and you will react to that. If the order is given and you doubt the truth of it, find a way to get them to Alderaan. They will find refuge here.' Emily suggested, giving him something to cling to in the face of an uncertain future.  
'If we disobey…' Gree started but Emily hushed him gently.  
'If you make the choice to save any Jedi you are with, do not send them alone. Gather up the brothers that want to be saved and send them all home, they will all be safe here. But at the same time, don't stay behind because you are the senior. If the choice must be made, lead your brothers' home. Protect them but escape with them as well.' Emily continued, looking into his eyes. 'I will give the same guidance to all my older boys, you do not have to fear being the only one.'  
'I'm still scared, buir.' Gree admitted, dark eyes closing as he tried to make sense of everything he'd been told.  
'Shhh, it's going to be okay, Gree. Whatever happens, our family will survive.' Emily promised, nuzzling his cheek softly.

Head coming up when someone knocked softly, Emily kept Gree tucked in close and called for her second visitor to enter. As much as she tried to pass her office as being a safe place for her sons, she knew that every conversation up here could be interrupted by someone else with news for her.  
'Buir, you wanted to be told when we were moving Hardcase into the burns ward.' one of the medics called, staying just inside the doorway.  
'Thank you Patch. I'll be right over. I promised Hardcase I'd be there for the big move.' Emily nodded, turning her attention back to Gree. 'Remember what I told you, Gree. I'll be available again a little later if you need to talk about this some more.'  
'Okay, buir.' Gree replied, getting to his feet. 'Give Hardcase my best, the medics aren't letting anyone else see him.'  
'It's for his safety, Gree. He's still in bad shape but I'll let him know you're thinking of him.' Emily promised, grabbing her jacket and heading for the door with Gree.

#~#~^~#~#

Flinching when the last bandages were removed and he got his first decent look at his state, Hardcase started to understand why everyone had been so worried about him. He didn't remember the fire or how he escaped the droid ship but looking at his body, he was surprised to still be alive.

As it was, he was still mostly scar tissue with a few small pieces of skin left to cover the mess. His hands were carefully secured in very open cages, allowing the bacta to get in and heal what was left without risking his joints curling into unusable claws. The rest of his body was left bare, giving the bacta the best chance to heal the damage done.

Settled in a supportive cradle and covered with a light sheet, he tried to relax as he was whisked through the corridors towards the burns ward, everyone nervous about having him out from under the UV lights and uncovered even for the ten minutes it took them to get him down to the ward and in beside the tank that would be his home for who knew how long.

Summoning a smile at the sight of Emily and Aloysius standing beside the tub, Hardcase let go of his fears and reached out to them, trusting in his parents to keep him safe when he was so fragile. Instantly they were with him, sleeves rolled up as they joined with the medical team to make the transfer.  
'Relax, Hardcase. This won't be so bad, it'll be like sinking into a warm bath.' Aloysius soothed, pulling on the gloves one of the assistants was holding for him.  
'We'll be right here with you, Hardcase. Relax, no harm will come to you now.' Emily added, gloving up and lightly stroking his left shoulder.  
'Okay everyone, on three we're going to lift him out of the cradle and transfer him into the bath. Gentle now, some of these burns are barely healed enough to not leak.' Coric called, leading the transfer as he slipped his hands under Hardcase's shoulders gently. 'One…two…three.'

Striving to stay relaxed as he was lifted and supported by the medical team, Hardcase kept most of his attention on his parents as the cradle was folded down and whisked out from under him. Moving slowly under Coric's lead, the team eased him down into the thick bacta, arranging him for comfort in the warm goo. It was just like a warm bath, except for the fact he was supported and contained by the bacta, instead of floating freely like he did in water.  
'That wasn't so bad, now was it?' Emily grinned, gently wiping the bacta on her hands onto his face. 'At least you'll have some company now.'  
'It won't be much longer now, Hardcase. You've put a month behind you, another couple and you'll be back on your feet.' Aloysius agreed, applying another coat to the back of Hardcase's head. 'At least you'll look a little better for the next 501st rotation. Jesse and Kix are anxious to see you again.'  
'It'll be good to see them again.' Hardcase grinned, relaxing into the warmth. 'But right now, I just wanna sleep.'  
'Then rest, you're safe here. One of the medics will always be in the room to make sure you're properly coated and comfortable.' Emily nodded, accepting the offered towel to clean the last of the bacta goo off her hands.  
'Buir, can you stay a little while?' Hardcase asked, surprising his brothers when he looked to Aloysius instead.  
'Of course, Hardcase. You know I've always got time for you.' Aloysius nodded, grabbing a chair from beside the wall and coming back to settle beside Hardcase.  
'We need to talk about contingencies later, Aloysius.' Emily uttered, drawing away and leaving the pair to talk quietly. 'Show's over boys, back to what you were doing.'

#~#~^~#~#

Unable to shake the dark feeling that Gree's words had left on her shoulders, Emily waited for all the boys to be tucked up in their beds before calling a parental meeting in the lounge the rest of the team shared. It wasn't as private as she would have liked for discussing something like this but it would have to do. The facility was over crowded and this was the last place left where the youngsters weren't sleeping close by. Her office was out because Dogma was still sleeping in the guest suite, protected from the curious stares from his brothers.

Settling around the table, Emily passed each of her friends a datachip, giving them a few minutes to scroll through the document she was sharing with them. They were all confused, reading over the contingencies and trying to understand why she was concerned about this.  
'Before you all start thinking I've completely lost my mind, let me draw your attention to one order specifically. Please, take a few minutes to read and understand Order 66.' she guided, sick to the pit of her stomach but this had to be discussed.  
'Remove the Jedi with lethal force? What sort of a crazy joke is this?' Rufus asked, stunned by what he was reading.  
'It's not a joke Rufus. Every clone knows these 150 contingency orders by heart, these orders are drilled into them from the very beginning. I got this document from Gree, he has a written copy but he can also recite all 150 off the top of his head with no prompting. That is how deeply ingrained these orders are.' Emily replied, looking down at her own copy of the orders.  
'I find it hard to believe that any of the boys would follow this Order 66. Not after all we've taught them.' Ralph shrugged, hoping he was right about the boys.  
'If the order comes down, they have no choice in the matter. They follow orders or they will be killed. Unless we can provide another option for them.' Shane countered, catching onto an idea.  
'My thoughts exactly Shane.' Emily nodded, indicating the large roll of flimsi she'd brought along. 'I was doing some rough sketching earlier and I think we can make it work. We will need permission from the Alderaan government to do it but we can thwart this Order 66 if everyone is willing to give it a good ol' Terran try.'

Unrolling the flimsi revealed a detailed map of the homestead and the surrounding area. Unrolling the second sheet of flimsi revealed her great plan to turn their homestead into a defendable outpost where those affected by Order 66 could hide from the danger.

In three places, hidden beneath perfectly normal looking grassy fields and forested areas, underground shipyards were carefully planned out to take whatever ships might arrive. It was organised to fit everything from Jedi fighters to Republic assault ships and Pelta class frigates. Two more locations, one under the woods to the east and one under the baseball diamond were designed as overflow hangers, just in case they were needed.

A third sheet of flimsi revealed her plan for the mountain range bordering the southern line of the homestead. Via three access tunnels, there was enough space planned for twelve cruisers on the bottom row and another six on a second level further up the slopes. There was enough rock above both levels to ensure a volley from space couldn't destroy all their cruisers and a tentative position for a third, lower level for more cruisers.

Underneath the main body of the homestead, passages sprawling out in every direction to create a web of bunkers and tunnels, deep enough to offer protection and expansive enough to house thousands of refugees from the order. The largest bunkers were directly under the buildings, with the exception of the hospital, increasing the chances of the refugees evading detection.

There were extra buildings put up beyond the independent housing estate as well, marked as storage sheds and overflow sheds for bikes and other large bits of equipment. But of course, the team knew that wasn't likely to be the full truth. Behind whatever camouflage she put in these sheds, there would be another purpose for them.

For a few minutes everyone was silent, trying to wrap their minds around Emily's grand plan as she put yet another sheet of flimsi over the original map of the homestead, revealing the final stage of her grand plan. Scattered around the perimeter and on the rooftops of the buildings, she'd designed a defence network, mounting several shield generators where they could protect the buildings and what was hidden underneath.

Sitting back down, Emily waited for her companions to wrap their minds around the grad plan for the homestead. It would take a lot of work and plenty of manpower but Emily was confident that the job could be done. She could only hope it was finished before Order 66 came down and the galaxy went to hell in a handcart at record speed.  
'Do you really think all of this can be done? It's a huge job and we don't have a lot of people to work on it.' David asked, leaning back in his chair.  
'We have as many people as we need, David. All we have to do is ask and the boys will get involved. They will work their shebs off because they believe in us. If we tell them it's to protect those that will one day be threatened, we'll have more volunteers than we can put to use.' Emily replied, totally confident in her words.  
'You always have been one for ambitious projects, Emily. But even by your standards, this is a big job.' Shane remarked, shaking his head in wonder. 'But, I still think it'll be possible to create all this. We'll just have to divide and conquer.'  
'Where do we even start with all of this? There's so much work to be done if we're ever going to pull it off.' Jean-Claude sighed, astounded by these grand plans but determined to see them through to completion.  
'Like Shane said, divide and conquer. Installing the shielding will be the last thing we do, first we need to have the space available for the ships and people that will come if Order 66 is declared. Hiding anyone that turns up will make it less obvious that we're up to something cheeky. Putting up shield generators and all of that will make us a target.' Emily nodded, laying out a blank sheet of flimsi over all of her ideas. 'So, we just need to figure out who wants to start where and go from there.'

Attentions back on the maps, everyone thought about where they could best do their bit to help with the massive construction project that would completely change the purpose of their homestead. Now they were starting to prepare for war to come to their doorstep in more ways than anyone expected.  
'I'll make a start on the mountain hanger, I'm pretty sure we've got some explosives hidden away that will make the job easier.' Aloysius offered, glancing towards Rufus. 'Wherever you put them for your last mission.'  
'Far from where any prying kids could get at them. Not sure we've got enough to blow out all that space but we can certainly make a big dent in the mountain.' Rufus shrugged, thoughts turning to the crates of explosives he'd cached some time ago.  
'Shane, no ifs or buts, you're out in the mountains too. I will not have you working under the homestead with your penchant for blowing things up.' Emily growled, pointing at him the moment his mouth opened.  
'Well, in that case I guess we'll leave the mountains to you pair and I'll help with the other hangers.' Rufus chuckled, ducking the plastoid cup Aloysius threw at him. 'Face it, we all know what you two are like when given explosives and a job.'  
'He's got a point and you know it. Scarecrow knows how to make a big boom and you do too. When you're together, things go nuclear.' Mother smirked, catching the cup Shane threw at her and tossing it back.  
'Back on track people, there's a lot to do and we don't know when or if 66 will be given.' Emily chuckled, pulling the team back to the job at hand.  
'I noticed we had some erosion in a couple of spots out in the eastern fields. I can organise teams to haul away the rubble to deal with that. I'll pitch in wherever else you need an extra pair of hands.' Ralph offered, lacking the specialised know how to really be a huge help with this project. 'Not sure where we'll put the rest of the rubble but I'll find spots for more.'  
'Use that valley out to the west, where we used to run heavy weapons training. We'll move the heavy training to the north, out beyond the landing pads. It's time we stopped hiding the fact these men are military. If that order comes down, I want the Chancellor to know that he won't get anyone on Alderaan without one hell of a fight.' Emily nodded, a fierce protectiveness darkening her voice.  
'I can help Ralph with the rubble moving, I don't have much skill for construction work.' David offered, trying to work out how much dirt would need to be shifted.  
'With the amount of dirt that's going to be coming out of the ground, you two are going to be very busy.' Emily grinned, handing David a smaller sheet of flimsi. 'Those are just rough calculations, not sure how close my estimates will be for the various complexes.'  
'With these sorts of numbers, there might not be a western valley by the end of it.' David muttered, folding the page and tucking it into his pocket.  
'I will help with the mountain excavations, I am not worried by the stories of things these two have destroyed.' Jean-Claude nodded, glancing over at Aloysius and Shane.  
'You're a brave man, Jean-Claude.' Emily chuckled, putting his name down on the list for the mountain team. 'I think the three of you with help from our sons will be enough to put a big dent in the mountain complex while the rest of us work on the hangers and bunker complex.'  
'I'll work the mountains as well, Emily. That'll put four of us over there.' Buck suggested, still reeling from what she was planning.  
'No, I'll need your strength over here Buck. With Ralph and David both on transporting the rubble, the rest of us will have to work hard to make the space needed.' Emily corrected, her argument sound but that didn't mean Buck had to like it. 'The bunkers and small hangers have to be the priority. If we get cruisers before we have the mountains hangers finished, we can use them to speed the mountain work.'

They sat up late into the night, discussing building plans and making more sketches of what they wanted the bunkers and hangers to look like when they were all completed. None of it could be called pretty, it was all duracrete and durasteel with straight lines and harsh corners but it would be serviceable and strong. They made plans to break into their emergency supplies as well, sorting out lists of what would be needed and what would have to be purchased and shipped to their facility. 

By the time everything was sorted out and the lists finalised, it was almost four in the morning. Bidding her friends a fond goodnight, Emily headed back upstairs to her suite, the precious lists and designs secured in her safe before she tumbled into bed to dream of better times and innocent boys.


	28. Reunions

Stepping off the transport that had delivered them home, the 501st rotation immediately headed for the main house, looking forward to getting settled in and enjoying their month of peace. But for five of them, this was a chance to heal raw wounds left by the absence of brothers sorely missed. Asking their brothers to take their bags up to whichever rooms were free, the pained group headed to find one of their parents, hoping to find out the fate of their closest brothers.

Veronique found them, milling near the assisted living building, looking around in confusion as they tried to figure out where their brothers would be.  
'Something wrong, ade?' she asked, greeting them warmly with hugs and kisses.  
'We're looking for the others. The rest of the first 28 that used to be with us.' Rex replied, looking around for any sight of them.  
'Ah yes, now let me think where I saw them last.' Veronique nodded, knowing exactly who they meant. 'Droidbait moved into the independent housing estate last month, he's in house 27. Cutup, Hevy and Echo are all in assisted living, sharing room 41. Hardcase is still in the hospital but we expect him to move to assisted living sometime this month.'  
'What about Dogma?' Tup asked, rising up on his toes and looking around desperately.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Rex glanced over his shoulder and quickly moved away from Tup's side as Dogma came racing around the corner and swept Tup up in a warm and loving embrace. Laughing happily with tears in his eyes, Tup held on tight, so very glad to be home and back in the arms of his beloved.  
'I've missed you, Tup, so very much.' Dogma uttered, drawing him into a sweet kiss.  
'I missed you too, Dogma.' Tup replied, holding tight and refusing to let go.  
'Come up to my room, we'll have privacy there.' Dogma offered, ignoring his brothers in favour of a special time with his lover.  
'Sounds like a great idea.' Tup nodded, drawing away slowly and firmly clutching Dogma's hand.  
'I think you'll like it. This way.' Dogma grinned, waving to the rest of the group before leading Tup away at a jog.  
'Fives, I'm sure you'll be able to find your Squad-brothers if you just take a walk around the area between the independent housing and the assisted living home. I will take Kix and Jesse to see Hardcase. Rex, you can stay and help Fives or you can come see Hardcase.' Veronique offered, smiling softly at the group.  
'I thought I might just take a walk for now, I'll see Hardcase later and I'm sure Fives wants some time with his brothers alone.' Rex shrugged, needing a little time alone after three months of keeping his brothers going.  
'Very well. Come on you two, you must be desperate to see Hardcase again.' Veronique nodded, taking Kix and Jesse by the hand and leading them away.  
'Go on Fives, I'll find you boys later.' Rex coaxed, giving his younger brother a gentle nudge away. 'I could use a few minutes of my own to relax and forget about being an officer.'  
'Alright Rex. I'll let the guys know you're here.' Fives beamed, jogging away to find his brothers.

#~#~^~#~#

Out of his bacta bath and enduring yet another Jedi healing session, Hardcase wasn't in a very good mood. They'd been at it for three hours already and there was still another hour of this discomfort to put up with before he could go back into the comfortable warmth of his bath. It didn't hurt, not like he knew pain but it was uncomfortable as the Jedi tried to rebuild the muscle and skin that had been lost in the fire.

It was uncomfortable for another reason, a reason he'd never really thought about until he was moved from the ICU to the burns ward. All eight Jedi healers were female and they saw him naked on a daily basis. It wasn't that he had any body issues but they could have at least had the decency to cover his groin with a towel while they were working.

But something changed the rhythm of his treatments. Instead of the fourth healing partnership approaching the table where he was resting, the transfer team came back, gathering him up and carrying him back to his bath.  
'What's going on?' Hardcase asked, sinking back into the welcoming warmth of his bath.  
'You have some visitors.' Patch grinned, applying another coat to the remaining burns on his head and face.  
'ba'vodu Veronique thought it best to wait until you were comfortable before bringing them in.' Coric added, setting up the table and holding up the nutrient shakes that Hardcase actually quite liked. 'At least in here you have some dignity.'  
'When have I ever had any dignity, Coric?' Hardcase chuckled, mood lifting at the thought of special visitors.

With one last check of his hands, just to be sure they were healing as expected, Coric and Patch left him to relax for a few minutes as they spoke to his guests to give them the latest on his condition. Settling back comfortably, Hardcase idly flicked through the holonet channels available, looking for anything interesting to watch as he waited for his visitors.  
'Hardcase, are you up for visitors?' Veronique asked, perching on the side of his bath.  
'Of course, ba'vodu.' Hardcase grinned, shutting off the holonet and turning his attention to her.  
'Come in, you two.' Veronique called, getting to her feet. 'I'll leave you three to talk in peace.'  
'Kix! Jesse!' Hardcase called, so glad to see his brothers again.  
'You're looking good for a guy that almost died.' Kix remarked, settling on a low stool beside the bath. 'This treatment plan obviously agrees with you.'  
'Apart from the eight female Jedi that get to see my naked body every day?' Hardcase countered, accepting the drink Jesse held for him. 'Thanks Jesse.'  
'You're complaining about women looking at you? Are you sure that fire didn't fry your brain.' Jesse teased, setting the cup aside when Hardcase released the straw.  
'Eight female Jedi, any brother would be uncomfortable. It doesn't help that four of them are Padawans and they giggle every time they see me in all my naked, scarred and burned glory.' Hardcase groaned, the skin that had been regrown on his cheeks flushing red.  
'You must be bored out of your mind, being stuck in here.' Jesse remarked, taking a seat on the other side of the bath.  
'It's actually not that bad. I've got 24-hour access to the holonet, I've made friends with most of the guys in here and ba'vodu Aloysius takes the time to spend an hour with me every day.' Hardcase replied, sinking into the bacta a little more. 'But these three hourly reapplications to get a little tiresome sometimes.'  
'It's all for the best Hardcase, you know that.' Kix sighed, still regretting that he hadn't been able to do more for Hardcase. 'It's been so weird out there without you.'  
'Hasn't exactly been fun here, either. Don't remember much of the first month; apparently I spent it under UV lights in a totally sterile room. Everyone who entered had to put on sterile scrubs, gloves, masks and hair covers just to be allowed in to tend my injuries.' Hardcase replied, dropping his gaze. 'Buir says it's a miracle I survived at all.'  
'I'd have to agree with her, Hardcase. You were a mess when we found you.' Jesse nodded, still haunted by the memory.  
'Not her, him. Ba'vodu Aloysius formally adopted me; I have a family name now. I'm not just another clone, I am a Knight. He chose me over everyone else.' Hardcase explained, smiling fondly at the memory. 'I have two parents now. Emily will always be my mother but now, I know what it is to have a father.'  
'How did you manage to do that, Hardcase?' Kix asked, eyes blown wide in shock.  
'You'd have to ask him, I don't know why. All I know is I am his son now.' Hardcase chuckled, so happy with the fact he had two names now.

Spotting an area that didn't look too badly damaged, Kix reached out to lightly touch Hardcase on the neck, reassuring his mind that this wasn't some messed up dream. Figuring that a few minutes would be okay, Hardcase lifted his hands out of the goo, smiling softly as his brothers got the idea and reached for the towels that were always kept by each bath. Ever so carefully, Kix and Jesse dried his hands off, leaving a thin sheen of bacta coating the injuries.  
'Has anyone talked to you about possibilities for the future?' Kix asked, examining the light and strong cage keeping his left hand straight.  
'Yeah, Coric's gone over it. He doesn't think my chances are great for taking up a lot of my old hobbies again but we'll see what happens.' Hardcase nodded, allowing his brothers to look their fill at his injuries.  
'If anyone is going to beat the odds a third time, it's you Hardcase.' Jesse grinned, lightly touching some of the healing burns. 'Can you feel any of this?'  
'A little but not really. It's patchy, the tips of my fingers are numb but there are spots along my fingers that I can.' Hardcase replied, eyes closing as he tried to feel the contact of his brothers.

#~#~^~#~#

In Dogma's eyes, Tup never looked better than he did right now, hair flying wild around his head, back arching and hands locked around Dogma's calves as he flew on the edge of ecstasy. Chest heaving, head thrown back, Tup groaned in satisfaction, everything else disappearing in a haze of love and passion. Tightening his grip on Tup's thighs, Dogma bucked up into him, so close but he was going to make sure Tup was rewarded for his patience during their time apart.

Choking on a scream, Tup came without a touch on his dick, gasping for breath as his release swept through him. Beneath him, he felt Dogma tense and groaned as he felt the warm release of his lover spill into his body and heard the soft groan he'd come to know so well.

Coming down from their shared high, Tup sighed softly as he collapsed on Dogma, the pain of their separation fading away as they held tight to each other and enjoyed the after glow. Sweaty and sated, they were at peace, reunited and just as strong together as they had always been.  
'Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum, Tup.' Dogma whispered, fingers running through his hair softly.  
'I love you too, Dogma.' Tup replied, shifting into a more comfortable position. 'I wish it could always be like this.'  
'I'm sorry things happened like this, Tup. I wish I hadn't left you behind but I had to protect our brothers.' Dogma sighed, rolling them both onto their side. 'We're together now, let's just make the best of what time we have together.'  
'I've been trying to think of a way to get sent back here for good but nothing seems to work out.' Tup admitted, burrowing in close and closing his eyes. 'Hold me while I sleep?'  
'Always Tup. No matter what, I'll always be with you.' Dogma promised, settling on his back and welcoming Tup's cosy sprawl across his chest.

Head coming up at the sound of a soft tap at the door, Dogma grinned as it opened just a little and Rufus poked his head in, dark eyes sweeping the room for a moment before he entered. Closing door behind him, he carried a tray of refreshments over to the table under the window and turned to crouch beside the bed.  
'Had a feeling I'd find you two in here.' Rufus grinned, reaching out to yank the sheet over them both. 'Brought you some refreshments, figured you two would rather be alone.'  
'vor'e ba'vodu.' Dogma yawned, adjusting the sheet and tugging Tup closer. 'Do you think there's anyway Tup could stay full time?'  
'Hmm, I don't know. I'll talk to Rex, see if we can't figure something out. We do need some extra hands around here, Emily's got big buildings plans.' Rufus shrugged, glancing out the window quickly. 'I'll see what can be arranged.'  
'We'd both appreciate that, ba'vodu.' Dogma nodded, hoping something could be arranged so they didn't have to say goodbye again. 'I love him, so much. I don't want to lose him out there.'  
'I know, Dogma. It's never easy loving someone in a war zone. I struggled with the same problem.' Rufus sighed, shifting to sit on the floor.  
'You, ba'vodu? How did you cope with the pain?' Dogma asked, surprised by the revelation.

Settling comfortably, Rufus reached inside his simple grey t-shirt to pull out his old dogtags, scratched and dented in a couple of places. But unlike standard tags where both had his details engraved into the surface, his were a mixture of identities.  
'We were never really separated, not like you two. We went out on separate missions, I was a pilot and he worked on the ground but we'd always come home to the same base and would sneak away for a few minutes whenever we could. We'd have to say goodbye for leave periods but we both knew that those partings would never be permanent. We were meant to be together. Just like you two, we knew ours was a relationship that was going to survive everything.' Rufus explained, slipping the tags over his head. 'Even now, nearly twelve years since we first got to know each other, we're still going strong. When we're apart, we're still together.'  
'I don't understand ba'vodu. If you're apart, how can you still be together?' Dogma asked, looking up at Rufus and lightly stroking Tup's back.  
'It's all right here, close to my heart where he belongs.' Rufus grinned, placing his dogtags in Dogma's hand. 'Have a look, you'll see what I mean.'

Surprised to have bee handed the old tags, Dogma just held them for a moment, humbled by the trust shown.. They were much like the ID tags they wore but where their chains held one tag with nothing more than a number, these ones were paired with more details etched into the surface. Rearranging the set in his hand, he pinned the tags to his palm and let the chain dangle free as he brought them up to read.  
'McKenzie, Rufus, P M. 611-90-4884. A NEG. Cath. N-Stalker.' he read, looking up at Rufus again. 'You had a batch number?'  
'Not exactly, Dogma. That used to be my Social Security Number. In a way, it was like a batch number, I was the only one to have that exact number and no one else was allowed to use it.' Rufus replied, not exactly sure how else to explain it.  
'What's the rest of it mean?' Dogma asked, baffled by all the extra information on the tag. 'A Neg. Cath. N-Stalker.'  
'Yeah, I can understand why you might be a little confused. A Neg is my blood type, it can be dangerous to give someone the wrong blood if they need a transfusion. It's not so important in the GAR, you're all the same type. Cath is my religion, catholic. The closest thing in this galaxy would be the way Jedi believe in the Force. On Earth, there are dozens of different religions, people are free to chose their own. N-Stalker, well that's a source of pride. I served in the Army but I was part of something special. I was part of the NightStalkers, flying special missions on the front lines. I did a lot of black ops, flying Special Forces guys into dangerous places and getting them out again when the job was done.' Rufus grinned, some of the better times coming back to him.

Satisfied with the answers, Dogma nodded and turned his attention back to the tags in his hand. Shuffling the pair, he looked closer at the second one, the one on the smaller attached chain so it hung belong Rufus' main tag.   
'Knight, Aloysius, K. 648-25-1972. O POS. Army.' Dogma blinked, reading the tag again just to be certain. 'You're with ba'vodu Aloysius?'  
'That's right, Dogma. We've been through a lot together, it's not always easy but we make it work and keep coming home to each other.' Rufus nodded, swinging his eyes over to Tup's peaceful face. 'Just like you two, we've faced adversities and come out stronger.'  
'This tag is different. Name, social security number and blood type but his has no religion and states he was just plain Army.' Dogma mused, looking at the pair together.  
'That's for his safety. Some people are persecuted just because they have different beliefs. Aloysius kept his religion off his dogtags so he wasn't mistreated because of it. And he didn't list his exact section within the Army because he did black ops, sneaking around in places he really shouldn't have been and doing things that were definitely against the rules.' Rufus shrugged, mind drifting back to their times in combat. 'But those are things you should speak with him about.'  
'I understand, ba'vodu.' Dogma nodded, handing the precious dogtags back. 'Thank you for explaining things.'

Slipping his tags back over his head and taking a moment to look at them in his hand before slipping them back into his shirt, Rufus grinned and rocked to his knees, looking down at the exhausted pair.  
'I know you two will make the right choice for your relationship. You'll do whatever you must to ensure it survives the war. But for now, enjoy what you have and cherish each moment together. Those are the memories that will keep you warm if you ever must be apart.' Rufus guided, resting his hand lightly on Dogma's shoulder. 'Have faith, Dogma. The right path will become known to you.'  
'We will find it, ba'vodu.' Dogma nodded, cuddling Tup closer. 'After we've had a chance to rest.'  
'I'll let Emily know where you are, she's been worried.' Rufus chuckled, getting up and leaving the pair to sleep peacefully.

#~#~^~#~#

Soaking up the sun near the assisted living facility, the reunited Domino Squad were at peace, sprawled comfortably on the grass as they reconnected without words. Fives didn't mind that he was buried under his brothers, half crushed into the unforgiving ground. All that mattered was the fact he had Echo and Hevy resting their heads on his chest and Cutup and Droidbait using his abdomen for a pillow.

It was so peaceful to rest together, idle touches reassuring each other that the full team was still united, a little less than perfect but still going strong. They knew they were lucky to still be in such good health, their injuries minor compared to some of their brothers.  
'You know I'd give up this peace to be back out there with you, right?' Droidbait asked, tapping Fives on the thigh.  
'Yeah, I know, 'Bait.' Fives nodded, adjusting his cap to shade his eyes. 'But with that lung damage, it's not safe. I'll be okay, Rex promoted me to his second so I'm not alone anymore.'  
'Well hey, that's great news Fives. I'll bet he's working you hard though.' Echo chuckled, shifting to ease the pressure on some of his burns.  
'That's putting it mildly. The first couple of weeks were tough, I had no idea how much Track did to keep up with Rex. But I think I'm getting the hang of it now. Up before Rex to make sure his kaf is fresh and everything he needs for the day is there to hand when his alarm goes off. I get to deal with some of the daily business, making sure everyone is ready and sorting out trouble before it gets out of hand. Pretty sure I'm one of the last into bed but I'm getting used to the shorter night shifts.' Fives grinned, so proud of what he was doing, even if it meant surviving on around five hours of sleep a night if he was lucky.  
'Whoa, Rex really is working you hard.' Cutup remarked, adjusting the support harness he was wearing. 'I hope he's repaying your work somehow.'  
'Of course he is, Cutup.' Fives chuckled, lifting his hand in greeting to someone walking behind his head. 'We were just talking about you, Rex.'  
'Should I be concerned, Fives?' Rex asked, wandering over to sit near the group.  
'Nah, just letting them know I'm doing okay and you're watching my six.' Fives replied, settling back down again.

Chuckling at the implication, Rex stretched out and got comfortable on his stomach, chin resting on his hands as he gazed at the contented little pile of brothers, a true team of heroes in his eyes.  
'You're my second, of course I'm watching your six. Though I could do without the midnight rumble.' Rex smirked, enjoying a chance to dig at Fives.  
'You get used to it after a while, Rex.' Droidbait grinned, shifting a little to find a new comfortable position. 'Give it a couple of months.'  
'Wait a minute…you're bunking with Rex now?' Hevy blinked, lifting his head. 'Whoa, now that's moving up the ladder.'  
'I consider it a fair payment for busting my ass every day and getting shot at more regularly. Seems the klankers can't pick the difference, I'm taking just as much flack as Rex does.' Fives nodded, reaching back to smack Rex on the back. 'But we're making it work for the best.'  
'You wanted to position Fives. Not my fault the klankers can't tell the difference between a Captain and an ARC.' Rex shrugged, sinking down a little more. 'Now enough talk of work, it's our time at home.'  
'Don't be such a grump, we're just catching up on the latest action.' Hevy replied, leaning into the light fingers tracing through his hair.  
'Let it go, Rex. This one ain't worth the debate.' Fives uttered, reaching back again. 'Let it go, I've got it this time.'

Shuffling closer when Fives tugged on his shirt, Rex was surprised to be drawn into the group huddle, everyone shifting to make space for him. It was nice to be welcomed in like this, Fives' head resting in the small of his back as the group talked about the latest happenings at home and in the wider galaxy. There was so much to catch up on, so many stories to share of fun and war all tangled into one great mass of family and home.

Even when the lunch bell sounded, the group were reluctant to move, quite enjoying the peaceful company of brotherhood. But that was shattered when Fives' stomach gave a growl, sending everyone into fits of laughter. Getting up, they headed for the dining hall in the main house, tugging Rex along with them when he tried to make his excuses.


	29. New Discoveries

Called away from dealing with the 501st boys and their various constructions jobs, the ten parents were surprised by the arrival of a familiar shuttle, the deep green paint on all the leading surfaces a dead giveaway. It was always good to see the boys but this arrival was months out of sync, so why were they here?

That's when things got a little strange. Gree was first down the ramp, a smile crossing his face at the sight of the group waiting for an explanation. Turning back to the shuttle, he motioned for someone else inside to step out. Ten of his best came down the ramp, each one carrying some kind of a woven basket. The weave was fairly open, allowing plenty of airflow to whatever was kept inside.  
'We found a planet, far out in the Outer Rim. General Unduli didn't know it and there was no record in the archives. We went down there, to see what it was all about. But what we found was unlike anything anyone expected.' Gree explained, rubbing at the back of his neck nervously.  
'We found a race of creatures unlike anything seen anywhere else in the galaxy. Thousands of them, in all the colours of the rainbow. At first they were frightened of us but as we explored their world, they came out to examine us.' Trigger, one of the heavy gunners, continued, setting his basket down gently.  
'apparently their race was once subjugated and tortured so their great ancestors fled to the farthest reaches of the galaxy and hid their planet from all eyes until a worthy cause came up again. We told them our stories and they spoke with their elders. The elders decided that we were worthy of their companionship and assistance.' Stitch, top medic for the 41st, took up the story, shaking his temple braid back over his shoulder.  
'We told the elders of our family and home here and they in turn chose ten of their finest to be the first of their kind to offer partnership to humanity in many generations. They tried to choose suitable partners for you all, based off what we told them.' Scope, one of the top snipers, chuckled, setting his basket down and looking up at his parents. 'We can only hope we got it right this time.'

Crouching, the boys opened their baskets together, moving back as the creatures inside started to emerge. Just as Trigger had said, they were every colour of the rainbow, curious heads peeking over the rims. Long, arrow shaped heads with delicate fins on both sides behind the eyes and a tall crest between the fins, following the long neck down into powerful shoulders and short front legs ending in four-taloned feet. Gaining confidence, the creatures tipped their baskets over, sending their long bodies sprawling across the duracrete to reveal powerful back legs ending in four-taloned feet and long, sweeping tails ending in broad arrowheads. The ridge from their heads went right down to the tips of their tails, stopping just before the arrowheads. But most beautiful of all, as each creature shook off their fall, they stood and stretched out their wings, five delicate boned structures carrying skin that was almost translucent.

Jaws dropping, none of the parents knew what to say as they gazed at the creatures, each one around three feet long from nose to tail. Chittering away like little birds, the creatures turned the face the stunned parents, heads tilting to the side in unison.  
'They're…dragons.' Emily whispered, going down onto one knee. 'Remember Gree, I told you stories about them when you were sick.'  
'I remember buir. They prefer to be called Draconis though.' Gree nodded, waving his brothers right back.  
'I apologise for any insult, Draconis.' Emily nodded, settling on the ground and watching the group. 'Everyone sit, there's something going on.'  
'How can you tell, Emily? They're just looking at us.' Jean-Claude asked, sinking down beside her and continuing to watch the Draconis in front of them.  
'Call it a gut instinct. There's something going on, I don't know what but it's important.' Emily replied, feeling a stirring in the deeper parts of her mind. 'Hush, just let it happen.'

Feeling something prodding at the back of his mind, Shane responded to it and gasped as he heard a soft voice in his head, light as the air and clearly masculine. At first it just mumbled random words but then it spoke, just as the dark blue Draconis approached and climbed into his lap like it had always been there.  
"Peace Shane, I mean you no harm. I am Rytar, we will be strong together." The voice washed over Shane as the Draconis in his lap butted his chin lightly.  
'I welcome you, Rytar. Together we will achieve much.' Shane replied, lightly rubbing Rytar under the chin.  
'What are you going on about Shane?' Ralph asked, looking at him like he'd sprouted a second head. 'What's a rytar?'  
'Not a what, Ralph. This is Rytar, my Draconis partner.' Shane grinned, ducking his head and allowing Rytar to climb up onto his shoulders and settle there comfortably, curled around the back of his neck. 'You'll feel a push against your mind, acknowledge it and welcome your partners. There is nothing to fear.'

Blinking down at the grassy green Draconis that settled into his lap, Rufus felt the nudge and welcomed the gentle push, reaching out to touch the creature as a soft giggle filled his head.  
"Peace Rufus, I mean you no harm. I am Mincani, we will be strong together." She intoned, her voice reminding him of home and family long forgotten.  
'I welcome you, Mincani. Together we will achieve much.' Rufus replied, stroking her smooth scales and gazing at her elegant lines.  
'I welcome you, Candras. Together we will achieve much.' Aloysius smiled, drawing Rufus' gaze to the inky black Draconis sitting in Aloysius' lap. 'Is that so, Candras? Well, that's interesting.'  
'What's going on, Aloysius?' Rufus asked, gaze snapping back to Mincani when she laughed again. 'What's got you so amused, Mincani?'  
"Fate has smiled on us, Rufus. I sense you hold great love for Candras' partner. This is fortunate, for he is my life mate." Mincani explained, nuzzling his chest lightly.  
'I have a feeling this will work out nicely.' Aloysius nodded, shuffling closer to Rufus and relaxing into the arm thrown around his back. Shifting on their laps, the Draconis pair settled contentedly, Candras resting his head on Rufus' knee and Mincani resting hers on Aloysius'.

Watching the light playing over silver scales, Jean-Claude didn't even hesitate to respond to the brush against his mind, guiding the graceful silver onto his shoulders smoothly and listening to the warm voice in his head.  
"Peace Jean-Claude, I mean you no harm. I am Shistan, we will be strong together." His voice was rich and deep, rolling over Jean-Claude's mind.  
'I welcome you, Shistan. Together we will achieve much.' Jean-Claude smiled, amazed by what he was feeling in his mind.  
"Take you time, Jean-Claude. I will be here for many years to come." Shistan chuckled, bringing his head around to look at Jean-Claude up close.

Gasping at the new emotions and sensations filling his mind, Buck shifted his hands to lightly caress pale blue wings, entranced by the graceful Draconis male in his lap.  
'I welcome you, Kerin. We will achieve much together.' Buck uttered, totally focused on the calm sensations he was getting from his new companion.  
"The elders chose well, I foresee we will make this galaxy a truly safe place." Kerin mused, shifting into a more comfortable position.

Reeling from the ideas now entering his mind from his new companion, David hoisted the pale orange beauty onto his shoulders and lightly stroked her tail, trying to get used to the idea of having someone else in his mind.  
'I welcome you, Letalia. We will achieve much together.' David nodded, reaching up to scratch under her chin lovingly.  
"Soon you will become accustomed to our bond, then it will not seem so crowded in your mind." Letalia guided, shifting her head to lead David to a favourite spot. "Mmmm, right there."

A little surprised at the rather bold actions of the red that had been sitting in her lap, Gena tilted her head to look the smaller creature in the eye now that it was up on her shoulders. Allowing the contact against her mind, Gena swore softly at the strength and power she became aware of, all centred on this Draconis.  
"Peace Gena, I mean you no harm. I am Yarilla, we will be strong together." Her voice was strong and filled with determination to live up to whatever expectations were had of her.  
'I welcome you, Yarilla. Together we will achieve much.' Gena replied, scratching behind the head fins lightly.  
'I welcome you, Arinsa. Together we will achieve much.' Ralph smiled, guiding the royal purple Draconis up onto his wide shoulders.  
"You have a life mate, this is good Ralph." Arinsa remarked, his voice strong and yet gentle.  
'Oh, and just what do you mean by that Arinsa?' Ralph asked, glancing at Gena. 'Apparently he's happy I've got you.'  
"Arinsa is happy because he too has a life mate. We have been through five mating flights, he is mine as I am his." Yarilla added, shifting into a more comfortable position.  
'Life mates with life mates, makes sense to me Yarilla.' Gena nodded, amazed by how right it felt to sit with Ralph and their mated Draconis.

A little concerned about the colour of the Draconis in her lap, Veronique smiled and stroked her long back, taking a few minutes to adjust to this sensation of two people in one mind. Trilling happily, the pale pink Draconis pressed closer, long neck stretching up to rest against Veronique's chest.  
'I welcome you, Traishta. Together we will achieve much.' Veronique uttered, one hand falling to glide over the long claws so lightly resting against the thigh.  
"Colour means nothing to Draconis. We are hatched in all the colours of the rainbow to remind us that there is still beauty even when the world is dark and foreboding." Traishta explained, gently climbing up to curl across Veronique's shoulders, tail wrapping around her chest.  
'So if you were to have children of your own, they would be just as brightly coloured as this group?' Veronique asked, looking around the group slowly.  
"If not more so. A normal Draconis nesting producing 20 eggs, each one will be a different colour." Traishta confirmed, head resting lightly on the swell of Veronique's breasts. "This is the way it is for my kind."

Getting a feeling that gold Draconis were rare, Emily treated the lively gold in her lap with the utmost of care, light hands caressing shining scales gently.  
"Peace Emily, I mean you no harm. I am Gystar, we will be strong together." Her voice was soft and wondering, flittering around Emily's mind.  
'I welcome you, Gystar. Together we will achieve much.' Emily smiled, guiding the gold up onto her shoulders and letting her settle.  
"In answer to your thought Emily, we gold are the rarest of the Draconis. For every three nestings, there is usually only one or two hatched. No one knows why it is so, but the elders say we are rare because only a few people in the galaxy are worthy of our partnership." Gystar explained, looking back at Emily. "Your sons spoke so highly of all you do for them, it is little wonder the elders thought I would be a good partner for you."  
'They are good boys, I am truly blessed to call them my sons.' Emily agreed, turning her gaze to where Gree and his brothers were waiting.

Getting to her feet, one had automatically coming up to rest on Gystar's back, Emily made her way around to stand in front of Gree and his brothers, watching the way they stared in awe at Gystar's elegantly draped form.  
'Are you happy, buir?' Gree asked, stepping forward to lightly embrace Emily.  
'I am Gree, you made the right choice on this.' Emily nodded, kissing his cheek and guiding him back. 'This is Gystar, my Draconis partner.'  
"With time, there will be enough Draconis for all of your sons to have their own. Some will come from our homeworld, others will be nested here." Gystar added, lifting her head and looking at Gree calmly.  
'She tells me that with time, all of you will have your own Draconis partners. Not just you boys but all your brothers as well.' Emily grinned, watching wariness turn to excitement.  
'Really buir, we'll have our own special friends like you?' Patch asked, stepping closer. 'May I?'  
'You may, Patch. She likes to be scratched just here.' Emily nodded, guiding his hand to a small spot on Gystar's right shoulder, just near where her wing started. 'Gentle now, she doesn't like when things get rough.'  
'I understand, buir.' Patch nodded, eyes wide in wonder as he touched the warm scales lightly.

Everyone jumped when two more Draconis emerged from the shuttle, dark blue and white shooting into the sky over the homestead. Brow creasing in confusion, Emily asked Gystar for an explanation and chuckled when she responded with hesitation.  
"Forgive me for not telling you earlier. Those two were de-nested by their bearer, she did not like the feeling she got from their eggs. I took them in, nesting them in her place. Their development was delayed because of the de-nesting, they are too young to survive alone." Gystar offered, lightly butting Emily's chin. "I apologise for not telling you."  
'You have no need to apologise, Gystar. Where are they going?' Emily smiled, nuzzling her Draconis softly.  
"They seek their partners. If they are here, those two will settle and grow their bonds. If not, they will continue to seek out their partners among your sons until they find the right matches." Gystar continued, her relief so clear to Emily.  
'They may be searching for a long time. I have so many sons, finding the right two will not be easy.' Emily sighed, showing Gystar the numbers in her mind.

#~#~^~#~#

Fresh from the shower, Tup sat quietly on their bed, relaxed and dozy as Dogma sat behind him, coming out his hair and deftly unpicking the knots that always seemed to accumulate where the band usually sat. Usually it hurt dealing with the knots but Dogma was super gentle, holding the hair above each knot in his left hand and using the fine tailed comb in his right to work them out without tugging too much.  
'It's nice to have someone that can actually do this without giving me a headache.' Tup uttered, enjoying the intimacy of the moment.  
'Who usually helps you with this?' Dogma asked, not looking up from his careful work.  
'Fives or Kix, they're the best for it. I asked Rex once, never again. I'm surprised there isn't a little short patch right about where you're working.' Tup replied, groaning at the memory.  
'There is one but it's hardly noticeable. Once you've got your hair up, the lower strands cover it nicely.' Dogma shrugged, touching the spot. 'Just here.'  
'That was Rex's idea of help. Snapped the band in my bucket and by the time I could get my bucket off and pull it back again, I had the mother of all knots. Rex's solution, get a knife and take it out permanently.' Tup shrugged, eyes closing again. 'It's going to take a while for it to grow out, been six weeks since he did it.'  
'It's not that noticeable, really.' Dogma insisted, untangling the last knot and reaching for the brush. 'There you go, all done.'

They both jumped at the tapping against window, staring in disbelief at the two creatures hovering there, one of dark blue and the other white. Glancing back at Dogma, Tup shrugged and stood, adjusting the towel around his waist as he padded over to open the window. Gliding closer, the creatures settled on the windowsill, watching the men with their heads tipped to the side in curiosity.

Dogma felt it first, a soft gasp escaping him as the presence wormed into his mind and settled, sweet and gentle across his thoughts. Getting up, he walked to the window and guided the dark blue creature onto his bare shoulders, fingers gliding over her back as she settled around his neck like she'd always been there.  
'Dogma? What are you doing?' Tup asked, watching his lover wide disbelieving eyes.  
'I welcome you, Tumissa. Together we will achieve much.' Dogma smiled, turning back to Tup as the white creature warbled sadly. 'Answer his call, Tup, all will become clear.'  
'Not until you tell me what is going on.' Tup replied, wary of the white creature still watching him closely.  
'It's hard to explain. They are Draconis, here to aid us in the war. Their nesting-mother, Gystar is now partnered with our buir. This is my Draconis partner, Tumissa. Her nesting-brother is waiting for you to allow him in so his name will be revealed and you can understand the beauty of this partnership.' Dogma explained, nuzzling Tumissa when she chirped softly. 'Go on, cyar'ika, you don't have to be afraid.'

Drawing courage from Dogma's words, Tup approached the white Draconis, reaching out to lightly touch his head and stroking down his neck. Responding to the push against his consciousness, Tup swayed and nearly fell but Dogma was there, arms wrapping around Tup's waist to anchor him. The voice in his head was protective and strong, curling around his mind and becoming part of him.  
'I welcome you, Domada. Together we will achieve much.' Tup nodded, drawing away from Dogma to guide his handsome partner onto his shoulders. 'I can understand why you had trouble explaining it, this is so strange.'  
'But good, very good.' Dogma agreed, welcoming Tup into his embrace again.  
"You are life-mates?" Domada asked, nudging Tup's chin lightly. "I can tell how much you love him, Tup. You are a good match."  
'It's nothing official Domada but yes, we are.' Tup nodded, smiling at the questioning noise from Dogma. 'Domada was asking if we are life-mates.'  
'Tumissa asked me the same thing.' Dogma grinned, nuzzling Tup's neck. 'And yes, it is official. I don't have a ring but this is the next best thing I have to offer.'

Confused now, Tup watched as Dogma removed the tag chain from around his neck and released the clasp so he could slip the ID plate off the chain. Reaching into one of the drawers in his desk, Dogma pulled out a second chain, identical to the simple linked chains all clones wore but shorter and clearly not designed to hang around the neck. Then he came back to Tup, holding the short chain in both hands.  
'Although I can't physically be with you on the battlefield, at least now I'll always be with you in spirit and thought. Carry this always, as a reminder that no matter how far you go from my side, I will always be with you.' Dogma offered, fastening the smaller chain beside the simple round tag bearing Tup's number stamped in neatly and underneath, his name scratched roughly into the surface. 'Keep me by your heart, right where I belong.'  
'I just wish I had something to give you in return.' Tup uttered, resting his hand over Dogma's where he was still holding the second tag.

Hopping off Dogma's shoulders, Tumissa fluttered across the room to land on his desk. Reaching over the side, she pulled the second drawer on his desk and dug around inside for a few moments before coming up with a plain brown box, tied with white string. Holding it in her front feet, she launched off the desk and returned to Dogma's shoulders.  
'I asked ba'vodu Ralph for help with this. It's taken him much of the last week but he's made it to be as perfect as he can.' Dogma explained, taking the box from Tumissa and holding it out.

Slipping the string off and opening the box, Tup smiled at what Dogma had organised. Settled in the box, all four pieces already connected and ready to be worn, a duplicate set of the partnered ID tags now slung around his neck. Lifting them out and handing the box to Domada to hold, Tup couldn't help but check the tags. Dogma's hung on the long chain, his own on the shorter chain. So while he wore Dogma's identity close to his heart, the reverse was the same for Dogma and that was perfect.  
'I can't always be with you physically, as much as we both wish I could be. At least now, I will always be with you in spirit and thought. Wear this always, so that no matter how far apart we are, I will always be right here at your side.' Tup declared, slipping the chain over Dogma's head and settling it in position. 'Keep me by your heart, right where I belong.'

Launching from their places, Tumissa and Domada returned to the windowsill, trilling their joy to the world beyond. Turning to watch the pair, Tup and Dogma could only stare as more of the creatures came up to see the calling pair on the windowsill. Ten in total, all swooping and diving around like it was some kind of celebration.  
'Alright Domada, alright. We'll get dressed and take a walk.' Tup laughed, heading for where he'd tucked his clothes into the corner of Dogma's wardrobe. 'Hey, where are my…'  
'I moved them into the second section, where they belong.' Dogma called, coming up behind Tup and hugging him close. 'What's mine is yours, you don't have to try to take up the smallest amount of space.'  
'You really don't mind?' Tup asked, glancing over to where he'd kicked his duffle.  
'Tup, you are part of my life and half of my heart. It hurts to be away, I miss those little signs that you're around. I want some of that back, if only for this month.' Dogma uttered, kissing his neck softly.  
'I'll make sure you never hurt again.' Tup promised, reaching for his clothes. 'Unless you refuse to let me get dressed so we can go take a walk.'  
'Point taken, cyar'ika.' Dogma laughed, stepping back and reaching for his own clothes.

#~#~^~#~#

Allowing the boys to get to know their new Draconis partners in a safe fashion, the parental team sat quietly, each one surrounded by their own group of excited youngsters, everyone fascinated by the mystical creatures. They all wanted a turn to touch the Draconis lightly, making friends and listening eagerly to the stories told.

But when Tup and Dogma joined the group, their Draconis settled on their shoulders, all hell broke loose. Everyone else was confused, angry or jealous of their brothers for having Draconis partners when no one else did. Some leapt to defend the pair, forming a protective barrier of bodies and pushing back but it was only a stop gap idea.  
'That's enough!' Emily called, getting up and clapping her hands sharply.  
'Atten-hut!' Shane barked, glancing up at Emily as his command voice echoed across the gathering and beyond.

Instantly the grounds were silent and still, every son that heard the order snapping to attention where they were. Making his way through the gathering, Shane tapped each of the defenders and sent them off to stand near Emily before gathering Tup and Dogma to him and escorting them out of the middle of the mob.  
'All yours Emily.' Shane nodded, a little surprised that his command voice worked so well on his sons. They knew the difference but apparently it didn't matter.  
'I am so disappointed in all of you. You have been told that in time everyone will have their own Draconis partner, you just have to be patient. Tup and Dogma are the lucky ones, the first of you to find their perfect match. These two Draconis could have just as easily been guided to find one of you. It is not the human that makes the choice, the Draconis have the final say. But instead of being happy for your brothers that they were the first of you to understand the joys and responsibilities that come with partnering a Draconis, you reacted in anger and jealousy. After seeing that display of sibling rivalry, I am not surprised that the Draconis partnered Tup and Dogma.' Emily declared, shaking her head slowly. 'All of you, back to your bunks. You have one hour to think about how you could have handled the situation better.'  
'Not you lot. You stay right where you are.' Shane uttered, watching the defending group as they started to walk away with their brothers.

Adjusting the way her ponytail was sitting, Emily turned her attention to the group Shane had pulled aside and smiled but for the moment, they would have to wait. Instead, she walked over to where Dogma and Tup were sitting, soothing their partners after they all got quite a fright.  
'Are you four okay?' she asked, kneeling and looking them over carefully for any injuries.  
'We're okay buir.' Tup nodded, looking up at her. 'A little shaken up but no injuries.'  
'Good. You boys just stay here and relax, I'll be back.' Emily grinned, ruffling their hair lightly before pushing back to her feet.

Stopping beside Shane, she looked over the defending group, noticing a few split lips and bloody noses. Rex was sporting the beginnings of a nasty black eye but he was still smiling so it was unlikely to be any real problem. The only real concern was Kix, standing there nursing his left arm to his chest, a pained look on his face.  
'You did good boys, I'm proud of you for stepping up to defend Tup and Dogma when everyone else got jealous. Now, I'm sure Shane has a suitable reward in mind for you good behaviour but first, is there anyone else that really should see a medic. Kix, I've already noticed you back there.' Emily grinned, motioning Kix forward to join her.  
'I'll admit it, buir.' Rex nodded, making his way out of the group, right wrist cradled protectively against his abdomen.  
'Considering the stand off, I'm surprised there aren't more.' Emily grinned, welcoming Rex in against her side.

Cuddling close and stroking their Draconis lightly, Tup and Dogma settled back in among their parents, relieved to have avoided a serious problem. They wouldn't have been able to stand up against all their brothers if not for the help of the defender team.  
'Buir, before you take those two away, Domada has something to offer them.' Tup called, launching his stunning white into the air. 'Sorry, to offer all the defenders.'  
'Go Tumissa, give him some help.' Dogma grinned, sending his dark blue girl to follow. 'Don't worry, just let them do what they feel is appropriate.'

Gliding over the group, Domada turned and landed on Jesse's shoulders, curling his long neck around to look the stunned clone in the eye. Not really sure what to make of this, Jesse stayed perfectly still, watching the creature curled around him. Long forked tongue coming out, Domada licked over Jesse's broken nose and spilt lip, leaving behind a shimmer of silver.  
'Don't wipe it off Jesse! I know it's weird but leave it for a moment!' Tup warned, listening to what Domada was telling him. 'Let it settle, it's all for a reason.'  
'What are they doing?' Fives asked, really not sure what to think when Tumissa landed on him.  
'Draconis saliva used to be a well known healing solution for minor injuries.' Dogma explained, watching Tumissa as she looked Fives over.  
'This is so disgusting. Licked back to health.' Jesse remarked, resisting the urge to lick his lips.  
'Hands Jesse, he can't reach.' Tup guided, amazed by what was being shown.

Lifting his hands, bruised and bloodied knuckles upraised, Jesse honestly had no idea what to make of the situation as the warm, damp tongue of the Draconis swiped over his injuries, leaving behind a silver shimmer. Before his very eyes, the bruises started to fade and the skin damage closed up, leaving behind a few small scars but otherwise, it was impossible to tell he'd been throwing punches.  
'That is amazing. Disgusting but amazing.' Jesse uttered, looking at his hands as Domada gave his nose another lick.  
'You're all done Jesse. Give it five and then go wash up.' Tup grinned, amazed by what was being revealed. 'I had no idea about this, he just decided to do it.'

One by one, the defenders were healed, leaving them shining silver in places but feeling no pain from where they'd been hurt. Launching skyward again, Domada and Tumissa drifted on silent wings to land on Rex and Kix, looking at their injuries. Coming to an agreement silently, they tended to the various bloody injuries and bruises they could see, hovering in front of the pair to get at injuries that couldn't be moved to them.  
'Broken bones are beyond their abilities. Sorry boys, you're still going to the medbay.' Emily grinned, brushing cheeks with her dear Gystar.  
'Everything has limitations, buir.' Rex shrugged, flinching when his wrist twinged.  
'Remember your manners boys. Tumissa is blue, Domada white.' Emily uttered, giving them both her "I'm the mum" look as she continued nuzzling Gystar.  
'Thank you Tumissa.' Kix offered, smiling softly at the dark blue Draconis resting on his shoulders lightly.  
'Thank you Domada.' Rex smiled, amazed by the new options the Draconis were bringing to the battlefield. 'You are most kind.'

Arms up to welcome their partners back, Tup and Dogma praised their actions and let them settle, exhaustion washing over the young partners. Light hands soothing and guiding their Draconis to rest, the young lovers smiled and settled against each other, so proud of their partners for doing that for their brothers.  
'So how are you two finding being Draconis partners?' Rufus asked, reaching up to stroke the green dozing on his shoulders.  
'It's a little strange to have another voice in my head but apart from that, I'm enjoying every minute.' Tup replied, stroking Domada's muzzle lightly.  
'Tumissa is great, she's always got some little pearl of wisdom to share. I don't always get what she's saying but she's patient when I get lost.' Dogma agreed, lightly adjusting one of her feet where it was digging into his shoulder.  
'She, you say, Dogma?' Shane asked, looking up from where he was caressing a dark blue Draconis of his own.  
'Elek ba'vodu. Tumissa is female.' Dogma nodded, looking at the resting Draconis in Shane's lap so peacefully. 'Isn't yours?'  
'No, Rytar is male.' Shane shrugged, soothing his companion when he looked up. 'Just discussing colour and gender.'  
'Traishta said that colour has no meaning regarding gender. The Draconis hatch in all the colours of the rainbow to remind them that there is beauty even when the world is dark and foreboding.' Veronique explained, ducking her head when the pale pink curled around her shoulders stretched her wings.  
'That makes good sense. This group is beautiful, I can't imagine what their homeworld must be like.' Dogma nodded, smiling when Tumissa revealed her memories of home to him. 'You should be resting, you're exhausted.'  
"I am resting. Your curiosity is admirable, it should be encouraged." Tumissa replied, settling down again. "I look forward to learning more about you, Dogma."

Watching the youngsters with their Draconis, Ralph spotted the flash of a silver chain around their necks and smiled, recognising his handwork against Tup's war scarred flesh. Looking around for a moment, Ralph mentally rolled the dice and figured it was worth the risk to draw attention to the chains while the rest of the family was busy.  
'So you did it then Dogma?' he asked, ignoring the confused looks from the rest of the parents.  
'The chain? I did, ba'vodu Ralph.' Dogma grinned, tightening his grip on Tup. 'It's still going to be hard but we'll make it work for us.'  
'Ah, you figured out how to handle combat romance.' Rufus nodded, looing down at Aloysius beside him. 'I might have given them a few pointers relating to our fumbled attempts at it.'  
'You showed them your tags?' Aloysius asked, toying with the chain just visible at his collar.  
'And explained what it was all about.' Rufus grinned, letting his fingers drift through Aloysius' hair. 'Dogma had some other questions but those are best answered by you, in private.'  
'So, can we know who ended up with the duplicates?' Ralph asked, butting heads with Arinsa lightly as he settled closer to Gena.  
'I did, they'd be spotted as fakes if Tup wore them. It doesn't matter here, but out there, the General is tough and Rex would have no choice but to hand down punishment for such a deed.' Dogma admitted, determined to do whatever he could to protect Tup from harm.  
'He'd be reluctant to do anything but the regs have to be enforced.' Tup agreed, perfectly content to soak up the afternoon sun in Dogma's arms.

#~#~^~#~#

Cursing the cast he'd been given, Rex's mood was at the lowest it had ever been when he was home. With just two weeks left of their downtime, he'd been handed an eight week light duty order from Coric and Kix had co-signed it. But then, Kix hadn't fared much better from Coric. He'd been given an twelve week light duty order, co-signed by Rex. The signature wasn't the best in the galaxy but it was the best Rex could manage with a broken wrist.

It could have been worse if not for the new casts Coric and his team were working on. These ones were stronger and lighter than the first ones the clones had seen and had a special layer inside to deal with any itching. But that didn't mean they had to like light duties or being taken off the combat roster.  
'Come on Rex, you're just being mean now. 12 weeks for this, I'll be fit in eight.' Kix called, left arm secure in a sling as he hurried to catch up with Rex.  
'You know as well as I do that only a medic can counter a light work order. If you don't like it, go argue your case with Coric.' Rex shrugged, stopping to wait for Kix.  
'You know that's impossible. You're just steamed that I signed off on yours.' Kix scoffed, adjusting his sling. 'Eight weeks is standard for broken wrists, you know that.'  
'Kix, didn't Coric mention something about multiple breaks? You should be glad it's only 12 weeks. You know what Coric is like, he takes his duty seriously.' Rex sighed, grateful for the painkillers Coric had given him. He was getting a headache on top of his aching wrist.  
'I know he does.' Kix nodded, glancing back over his shoulder. 'But I think he's forgotten that beyond Alderaan, things don't have such a leisurely pace.'  
'Well, we can try our luck with Suture and Patch back on the Resolute but I wouldn't hold your breath. Suture was trained by Coric before he shipped out and Patch, he's too much like Echo to get anywhere with when it comes to bending the rules.' Rex snorted, backed into a corner and he knew it. 'Guess Fives is going to need a crash course in total leadership.'  
'You're going to put Fives in charge temporarily? Can the 501st handle that?' Kix asked, trying to lighten the mood a little.  
'Fucked if I know. But I'll be around to steady things if Fives makes an ass of his time on top.' Rex shrugged, his mood lifting at the thought of really making Fives work hard. 'Been looking for a way to get some payback on him, this'll work nicely.'  
'You really are an evil man, Rex.' Kix laughed, clapping Rex on the shoulder.

Thinking things over, Rex knew he'd have to talk fast to avoid the General kicking him off the cruiser until he healed fully. He needed a plan but he didn't know how he was supposed to convince Skywalker that he was still able to carry on with most of his duties. Then there was the other issue he would need to deal with. Telling General Skywalker about Tup's new partner.  
'Something on your mind, Rex?' Kix asked, noticing that he'd gone into his mind.  
'Just thinking about all the things I'll have to explain to the General. It's one thing to explain broken bones and light duty orders but how the hell am I supposed to explain Tup and Domada? He's never going to believe any of it.' Rex shrugged, momentarily wishing he was on the Resolute with his secret stash of black ale.  
'That's one you'll have to ask buir about. She'll have an idea or two, she always does.' Kix suggested, not sure what other advice to offer. 'But perhaps the smartest and safest thing to do would be to talk to Coric and see if he can do anything. As a medic, he's got access to a lot of different forms and could keep Tup off the battlefield for good.'  
'There was reason I gave Coric the assignment to Alderaan instead of you Kix. Coric is a good man but he has a problem with dodging regs, even when it's the right thing to do. Here that's not such a problem but there's no way he'd sign off on Tup being unable to return to duty unless he was seriously injured.' Rex sighed, watching Kix as he stared at Rex in disbelief.  
'I often wondered why you picked him when I was the better trauma medic. Good to know I passed your measure to stay on.' Kix smirked, a little shocked by the revelation but it really wasn't a huge surprise.  
'Don't let it go to your head, Kix.' Rex grinned, draping his good arm around Kix's shoulders.

Feeling the ground shudder as a deep roar reverberated out from the southern mountains, the pair smiled and looked back, trying to see any rising smoke or dust but the air was clear, hiding the exact location of the demolition work going on just within the homestead borders.  
'Do you think buir's precautions will work if 66 is given?' Kix asked, aware of the secret building project and what it was all for.  
'I'd like to think so but I don't know Kix. I'd like to think that 66 will never be handed down but I just don't know.' Rex sighed, his good mood fading. ' I can't talk for anyone else but there's no way I could shoot Commander Tano as a traitor, I know her better than that.'  
'I don't think many of the guys could, she's our sister. There are a few I don't trust to watch out for her but mostly, she's safe with Torrent.' Kix agreed, thoughts drifting to the bright and bubbly Togruta that called them family.  
'Anyone you'd care to name?' Rex asked, not forcing the issue, just wondering.  
'Between us, off the record. I don't trust Appo and his bunch of blind fools. There's about 40 of them, always hanging around together. They won't get involved with any of the fun, have never had an Alderaan rotation and they scorn the very idea of clones having a civilian life.' Kix nodded, dropping his voice so no one overheard their conversation.  
'I had Appo down for this rotation, just to see how he'd go if the choice was taken out of his hands. As you can see, he didn't come down. He sent Trigger in his place.' Rex shrugged, starting to doubt the harmony within his company.  
'Makes you wonder what he's saying to the rest of the boys while we're away.' Kix mused, nudging Rex lightly when he got lost in his thoughts. 'There's nothing we can do if they're not willing to listen.'  
'I know, doesn't mean I have to like it though.' Rex uttered, shaking his head slowly. 'I'll talk to him when we get back onboard the Resolute.'  
'Better have Fives sit in on that one, he'll need to know.' Kix added, slipping away from Rex when he saw Jesse wandering towards them.

#~#~^~#~#

Getting through the rest of their month at home without any more serious incidents, the transition day came all too soon for Rex and his boys. Packing their things and making sure nothing was forgotten, they headed for the landing pad to wait for the incoming transport. Now was the time when the plan either came together or failed completely. Rex and Kix had to prove their fitness and avoid being left behind and they needed to sell the story as to why Tup wasn't getting on the transport.

Holding back as the transport landed and the ramps deployed, Rex glanced at Fives and nodded faintly. He still hated the fact he'd been forced to step back but so far Fives was proving to be a capable temp. Shouldering his bag, Fives gave the order for boarding, moving up to do the final roll call and making sure no one was taking anything they shouldn't.  
'Fives? What happened to Rex?' Ahsoka asked, coming down the ramp to greet her brothers.  
'He's over there, Commander.' Fives replied, pointing him out. 'Awaiting final inspection and clearance to board.'  
'What happened?' Ahsoka requested, hand out for the paperwork that would give her the information she needed.  
'Bit of rough housing that went too far. It's all right here, Commander.' Fives answered, handing over the datapad tucked under his arm. 'You're clear Jesse. Get on board, I'll call you if Kix gets knocked back from this trip.'  
'Copy that.' Jesse nodded, shouldering his bag and heading up the ramp.

Reading over the incident reports, Ahsoka made her way over to where Rex and Kix were sitting, duffels by their feet as they awaited their fate. Ahsoka knew that fights in the ranks weren't uncommon but it was rare for Rex to get a light work order due to broken bones. They all knew the unspoken rules about engaging Rex in combat - don't do him any serious injuries.  
'So you have six weeks left on your light work order, is that correct Captain?' Ahsoka asked, stopping in front of the pair.  
'Yes Sir.' Rex nodded, getting to his feet.  
'And ten weeks left on yours, Kix?' Ahsoka continued, trying to be professional about this.  
'That's correct, Sir.' Kix replied, also standing and quickly adjusting his sling.  
'We're not due back in this sector for at least 14 weeks. Any reason why you think you should stay here?' Ahsoka nodded, looking up from the reports in her hands.  
'No Sir, I can still be of assistance onboard.' Kix replied, straightening his shoulders. 'One hand is better than none in an onboard emergency.'  
'I've already handed over my duties to Fives but he's admitted that he wouldn't be against having me around to offer help when he gets stuck.' Rex added, glad he'd thought to talk this over with Fives in detail. 'There should be an attached form making it all official until I pass medical.'  
'So there is, Fives is requesting you as his temp second until you clear.' Ahsoka nodded, scanning the attached files and making sure it was all correct. 

Finding another file marked for her attention, Ahsoka frowned, reading over the file carefully. This was one she wasn't accustomed to seeing, it was different to the usual light work or medically unfit for normal duties form. This one was listing Tup as unfit for service due to battle stress. Reading down further, she found the section where the medic in charge was supposed to have written when Tup was expected back on duty. But instead of a date, there was a symbol that she didn't recognise.  
'Kix, what does this mean?' she asked, holding out the datapad to him.  
'That's medic shorthand for indefinite rest. Who ever that's for, he won't be back on duty again.' Kix replied, glancing at the symbol and recognising it instantly.  
'Indefinite rest…well, I guess we all knew it was going to happen. Another spot in the ranks to fill.' Ahsoka sighed, scrolling back to the top of the file.  
'At least Tup is safe now, he's been pushing so hard.' Rex nodded, glancing back towards the main house. 'Maybe one day he'll be back but it's not likely.'  
'He's better off here, we've all seen how close he's been to the edge. Admit it Rex, he's been shaky since Dogma left, we've all been covering for him. When was the last time you saw him taking proper care of his gear on his own?' Kix shrugged, eyeing Rex critically. 'When was the last time he put on a performance for the guys just because he could?'  
'I know, I guess I was hoping that he'd pull through after a break and some time with Dogma. I really thought we were making progress but I suppose this is for the best.' Rex sighed, turning his gaze back to the main group still boarding. 'Four left, we're dropping faster than anticipated.'  
'The war can't go on forever Rex. It will end and we will be together again.' Kix promised, way off the script they'd discussed but this needed to be dealt with. 'I'll be around if you need to talk, completely off the record.'  
'I'd appreciate that, Kix.' Rex replied, shaking his head quickly. 'Provided we both get the green light, I'll come find you later.'

Reading over the incident reports and medical files again, Ahsoka had to make the right call on these two. If she got it wrong, Anakin would give her a lecture and then send a ship to come and get them if she wrongly left them behind or order immediate transport if she should have left them behind. Weighing everything up carefully, she made what felt like the right choice in this situation for these two.  
'Get onboard you two, I'll smooth things over with Master Skywalker. I don't see any reason why he'll be unhappy about this but you never know.' Ahsoka nodded, sighing off on the forms and waving the pair towards the transport.  
'Thank you, Commander.' Rex nodded, shouldering his duffle and reaching for the command 'pad secured to the strap. 'I'll take some off your shoulders, Fives.'  
'I'd appreciate that Rex, I don't know how you do this after every break.' Fives called, splitting he group and continuing his roll call.  
'Don't even think of getting comfortable in my spot.' Rex growled, balancing his 'pad on his right arm and marking off with his left. 'Six weeks, that's all you're getting at the top.'  
'I don't want it for keeps, trust me on that.' Fives promised, working through the brothers waiting patiently for their turn to be checked through. 'I like my sleep.'

Chuckling softly, Rex went back to his task, making a mental note to teach Fives a few command tricks about catching sleep whenever it was possible. These tricks were usually kept among the senior most clones but if Fives was ever going to cope with six weeks in the top spot, they were lessons he would need to know. But he didn't need to know right now, those were lessons best kept in private.

Everyone turned at the quiet call from the edge of the crowd. Standing there together, Dogma practically had to hold Tup on his feet, one arm around his waist and left hand clutching Tup's arm around his shoulders.  
'I know he's supposed to be on full bed rest but he wanted a chance to say goodbye.' Dogma explained, ignoring the dark looks aimed his way as he made his way forward. 'Mostly to those that kept him going after I got my General's Orders.'  
'Coric's got you drugged good, hasn't he?' Kix grinned, stopping in front of the pair and gently tipping Tup's head up.  
'Yeah, he's finally stopped shaking but he's too stoned to shoot anything.' Dogma nodded, hoisting Tup straighter. 'Come on Tup, you wanted to come out here.'  
'Let him drift, Dogma. Whether he remembers coming out here or not, he'll know we're sorry to see him go.' Kix shrugged, pulling a neatly folded letter from his pocket. 'When he's lucid, give him this. It's from all of us that really cared about him.'  
'I'll make sure he gets it but would you mind? I don't have a hand free at the moment.' Dogma nodded, shifting his grip to hold Tup's belt so he couldn't keep sagging.  
'Sure, just don't tell anyone.' Kix smirked, reaching around to tuck the letter safely in Dogma's back pocket. 

A little surprised when Kix set his bag down and came around to lend a hand, Dogma grinned and guided Tup towards where Rex was standing. Remembering his orders, Dogma didn't dare step foot on the ramp leading onto the transport. Instead he slipped out and let Kix try and get Tup to Rex for one last goodbye.  
'You were a hell of a soldier Tup, shame we have to leave you.' Rex sighed, watching Tup closely for any sign of a reaction. 'Be safe vod'ika, we'll see you again sometime soon.'  
'ori'vod?' Tup uttered, a flicker of recognition in his gaze then it was gone again.  
'I'll come back and see how you're going in a few months, okay.' Rex promised, drawing Tup into a light hug.

Waiting patiently at the base of the ramp, Dogma shot Kix a grateful smile as he gathered Tup back in against his side and made his way out of the group. But now they faced the bigger challenge, slipping past Commander Tano and her Force abilities.  
'I don't get it, Dogma. He was fine before we dropped this group off. What brought this on?' she asked, wandering over to look up at them.  
'He hasn't been fine for a while, Commander. Like most clones, he's good at hiding when things aren't quite right. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the brothers have been helping him out, making sure his weapon is clean and his armour maintained.' Dogma shrugged, guiding Tup down to sit on the grass at his feet. 'That's it Tup, you stay there.'  
'You really think Rex would allow that? The 501st is one of the best units in the GAR, surely he wouldn't risk the safety of everyone on the Resolute by keeping Tup around if he's not combat ready.' Ahsoka remarked, watching Tup closely as if she expected him to do something dangerous at any moment.  
'He might have cracked in the mind a little but he's not dangerous. He's just scared Commander, as he's got every right to be. Rex in full command mode can keep him focused on each sub-goal towards victory on the battlefields but he's just a shadow, following whoever Rex partners him with and following orders but there's nothing of his personality coming through.' Dogma shrugged, catching Tup when he swayed and guiding him to stretch out on the grass. 'Rex and I discussed it at length while Tup was sedated, he told me everything.'  
'I was wondering how you knew things that you weren't there for.' Ahsoka nodded, pity in her eyes as se looked down at Tup again.  
'Now Commander, there's no need for pity. Tup will be fine, he just needs to rest and recover. He'll never again be much good on the battlefield but he's got a chance now. Getting him off the battlefields was the best thing that could be done for him.' Dogma sighed, unable to resist a smile when Tup started giggling. 'Like I said, a little cracked in the mind but he'll be okay with time and patience.'  
'I've never heard of this battle stress. Something new Coric learnt about?' Ahsoka asked, turning to check how the loading process was going.  
'No, it's an old thing. Buir knows all about it, she was the first to spot something wasn't right. She says it happens in every military, things get to be too much to handle and people crack. On Earth it's called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. She mentioned creating a data package on the condition for transmission to all the Generals so they would be aware of it and know the signs.' Dogma explained, keeping one eye on Tup as he spoke. 'right now the meds keep him calm but we hope to wean him off those onto something with a little less kick so he can at least live a relatively normal life here.'

Thinking about everything she'd been told, Ahsoka nodded slowly and dropped her gaze back to Tup, now dozing peacefully in the sun under Dogma's constant vigilance. Here he was safe and could get the treatment he needed, without the fear of being sent back to Kamino because he wasn't perfect. And Dogma was here, surely his presence would help Tup get back on track. She didn't care if Tup never rejoined the 501st, she would still protect him from further harm.

Decision made, she looked up to check where the Resolute was before activating her comm and glancing at Dogma with a smile.  
'Master, I need your help with something.' she grinned, trying to down play the situation.  
"What's the matter Snips? I thought you could handle the pick up alone." Skywalker responded, sounding perhaps a little frustrated.  
'The pick up is going to plan but there's one that is classed no longer fit for service.' Ahsoka sighed, glancing down at Tup. 'He's being withdrawn due to battle stress and from what I've seen, he's better off staying behind. They've got him on some pretty strong meds, he's incapable of walking on his own and seems lost in his own little world.'  
"Who? Not just who are we losing but who gave the classification." Skywalker asked, the frustration still in his voice but also a hit of concern.  
'Tup, on the dual orders of Coric and Kix.' Ahsoka offered, checking the file on her datapad.  
"Alright Snips, I'll send someone to pack his belongings and get them down to the homestead before we leave orbit." Skywalker agreed, troubled by the revelation but wiling to let him go.  
'General Skywalker, its Dogma. Buir suggested that in cases like this everything should be transferred. I know he'll be out of the GAR but to prevent any further problems, best to send his weapon and armour as well. Buir will take possession of his weapon.' Dogma added, trying to sound casual but he knew his place here was tentative at best. 'Captain Rex said he'd have all the proper paperwork filled out to clear the weapon and armour transfer.'  
'I've got the paperwork right here Master. Authorisation to transfer weapons and armour from active service to recovery unit.' Ahsoka nodded, finding the file on her datapad.  
"Sounds like Rex has really been thinking about this. I'll authorise it, just this once." Skywalker agreed, reluctant about it but against Rex and Ahsoka, he knew it was best to go along.  
'Thank you, Sir.' Dogma grinned, waving to Rex and flashing a quick hand signal. 'Captain Rex has been notified of the agreement.'  
"Anything else I should know about Ahsoka?" Skywalker asked, always on top of any situations in the ranks.  
'Two light duty orders, one for Rex for six weeks and the other is on Kix for ten. I've signed off for both to rejoin us, we'll need them around. According to the reports, there was some roughhousing that got out of hand resulting in broken bones. Kix broke his left arm in two places, Rex fractured his right wrist.' Ahsoka briefed, scanning the reports again. 'Rex has given Fives command until he passes medical.'  
"You made the right choice, Ahsoka. I've dispatched Hawk to make the delivery once Tank and his Squad have all Tup's gear packed up." Skywalker confirmed, a faint trace of amusement in his voice. "We'll have to see if Fives can keep up with Rex's workload."  
'So far he's handling it, with the odd complaint.' Ahsoka chuckled, head coming up at the sound of someone getting in trouble. 'But he's certainly got the knack for a lecture. Looks like Racer tried to sneak one of the cats onboard.'  
"Anything else Ahsoka?" Skywalker asked, the amusement in his voice even more noticeable.  
'No Master, that's everything of urgent importance. The rest can wait until we're back on the Resolute.' Ahsoka replied, glancing at her datapad again.  
"Alright, I'll see you when you get back. Skywalker out."

#~#~^~#~#

Watching the LAAT/i and the heavy transport leaving the compound, Dogma smiled and practically carried Tup over to were all his belongings had been stacked neatly just near the main house. Already, their parents were carrying it all inside and loading it into the small cargo lift installed as a late addition.  
'Alright, they're out of range now.' David called, checking a small monitor strapped to his wrist.

Launching off the bench nearby, Tumissa and Domada returned to their places, calling happily. Head coming up, Tup blinked and shook his head, clearing out the last remnants of the dullness Domada had settled across his mind.  
'That was so weird. I knew exactly what was going on around me but I couldn't respond like I wanted to.' Tup grinned, reaching up to rub Domada's muzzle. 'That was incredible Domada.'  
"Mind sleep, a useful trick but it is draining." Domada agreed, nuzzling Tup's cheek. "How do you feel now?"  
'A little tired and I've got a headache but otherwise, I'm fine Domada.' Tup shrugged, rubbing his temples lightly.

Stepping up, Emily lightly placed her hands over his and rubbed softly, bracing her position when Tup sagged into her strength so gratefully.  
'The job isn't over yet, Tup. Every time the 501st is around, you'll have to play the broken soldier again. Next time you won't have to go so deep under Domada's influence, just enough to make everyone believe you're medicated and still a little shaky.' Emily guided, still amazed that the plan had worked but time would tell.  
'I'm not afraid buir, it's all for the best.' Tup replied, eyes closing slowly. 'I still can't believe Commander Tano believed it.'  
'From what Candras was telling me earlier, Ahsoka didn't even realise it was a trick. Draconis are the only creatures in the known galaxy without a Force presence. No Jedi can sense them or their partner when the Draconis is settled there. They're like little black holes, the Force comes near them but can't see them because the Draconis bend the Force around them.' Aloysius explained, nuzzling the black on his shoulders.  
'Whoa, now that's really cool.' Dogma blinked, looking at Tumissa in wonder.  
"No Dogma, I am not helping you hide among the 501st." Tumissa laughed, butting heads with him lightly.  
'I wasn't going to ask. I've got all I need right here.' Dogma replied, scratching under her chin lovingly. 'Before Tup was transferred permanently, I might have considered it but not now.'

Headache easing, Tup draw away from Emily and collected his bike, picking it up and heading for the stairs. Picking up the last crate outside, Dogma grinned and followed him inside to unpack and reorganise their room to make the best use of the space for both of them.


	30. Order 66

Not quite sure why he was feeling like he needed to be somewhere and he needed to grab at least four squads of his brothers to get the job done, Fox launched into his armour and sounded a general alert, calling for the six squads that were on duty right now. Holstering his pistols and grabbing his rifle, Fox raced out the door of his quarters, already barking orders to his pilots and sorting out everything his gut instinct plan would need.

Racing into the hanger, Fox smiled behind his helmet at the sight of his six chosen squads waiting beside their transports, the pilots busy warming up the six selected LAAT/i gunships. The gunships were fitted with the long-lining gear, window crackers and all the other specialised equipment they would need to make a fast entrance into their target building.

Loading up his men to balance out the needs of the mission, Fox gave his pilots their orders and reached for one of the long line harnesses attached to the line drums inside. Handing his rifle to one of the junior guardsmen, Fox pointed out his three chosen jumpers in this gunship and started harnessing up.  
'Alright, listen up. Buir always tells us to follow our instincts and tonight, my instincts are telling me that something is going to happen at the Chancellor's office. I don't know if it's a precursor to Order 66 or something else but we're going in hard and fast to deal with it. I want four men on each gunship harnessed up and ready to long line jump into the office. Once the jumpers get a look into the office and know what the situation is, we'll make the appropriate calls on what to do next. Long liners, check your jet packs are ready, there's no telling what we're about to step into.' Fox briefed, shouldering into his jetpack and accepting his rifle back. 'Charge, prepare the window crackers, we're going in hard.'  
'On it Sir.' one man replied, turning to the heavy rifle in the corner.

The short flight took only minutes but it felt like so much longer for the readied teams in the gunships. Coming level with the panoramic window in the office, the Demo men in each gunship leant out and fired, the small charges completely obliterating the window and sending frag down into the streets below but most of it went into the office.  
'Go! Go! Go!' Fox snapped, leaping out of the middle right gunship and engaging his jetpack.

Like missiles on strings, the first wave of long liners raced through the broken window, trying to avoid the Chancellor and grab their targets. Rolling to avoid a killing blow, Fox managed to get one hand on Master Kolar but he had to launch to the ceiling to avoid a swinging green lightsaber far too close to his neck.  
'Master Tiin, outbound.' Zipp reported, his line reeling in as he held the older Jedi firmly to his chest. 'Sir, stop struggling. This is for your own good.'

Dropping again, Fox parried away the raised arms of Master Kolar and grabbed him around the waist before signalling for a retract. Holding on tight, Fox redirected his jets and raced backwards across the office, still clutching Master Agen Kolar tightly.  
'What is the meaning of this, Commander?' he demanded, deactivating his lightsaber as they shot out of the office and swung down on the cable.  
'I'll explain everything in a minute Sir. I just need to focus on getting us both off this rope.' Fox replied, unable to engage his jetpack while holding onto the irate Jedi. 'Reaper, retract one!'  
'Copy that Sir.' Reaper's response was instant, hauling the dangling pair up as fast as he could.

Moments later, Thire was out of the office, arching down with Master Fisto clinging on around his shoulders. But something was wrong. Instead of using his jetpack to get back to the gunship, Thire was spinning in wild circles, his pack not producing thrust evenly. Thire was trying desperately to shut it off but he couldn't risk letting go of Master Fisto to reach the controls. 

Finally they stopped whirling around but it had nothing to do with Thire or Master Fisto. No, it was Master Tiin, leaning out of the third gunship in the row. Reaching into the Force, he caught the pair, shut off the malfunctioning jetpack and lifted them safely into the gunship they were hanging from. Then he turned and lifted Fox and Master Kolar to safety before he was dragged back out of sight.

Needing to regroup, the rest of the long liners fell back, returning to their gunships to replace depleted jetpacks and figure out a new plan of action. Grabbing a fresh jetpack, Stone launched back into the night sky, coming around to perch on the nose of the gunship in readiness.  
"Stone, what are you doing out there?" Fox asked, more than a little confused by his actions.  
'Waiting. Trust me, I've got a plan.' Stone replied, sitting perfectly still and watching the broken window for the right moment.

Watching the fight in the window, Stone surprised everyone with his running leap off the gunship. Spinning once, he snagged something small from the air before throwing on his jets and racing up to the window again. With no thought to his own safety or the enraged enemies inside, he latched onto Master's Windu's back and yanked him off balance, sending them both plummeting through the air.

They didn't fall far though, just far enough to put them beneath the gunships before they were caught and lifted gently into the hold from whence Stone had jumped.  
'Fox, better put out that call brother. This is more than just gut feeling, its coming true.' Stone warned, easing Windu down and moving back. 'Swab, take care of the General.'  
"I was thinking the same thing brother." Fox replied, clearly worried but there was nothing more they could do here. "Back to barracks, we're really in it deep now. Board the gunships onto the Philadelphia, we're not staying here."  
'You, guardsman.' Master Windu uttered, the pain relief kicking in hard. 'Come here.'  
'Yes, General?' Stone asked, removing his helmet and sinking to one knee.  
'What is going on? Why did you do that?' Windu asked, glancing at where his right hand had been before Skywalker betrayed them.  
'I hate to say it, General but it looks like Order 66 is about to come down on all of us. It's an order that authorises lethal force to remove the Jedi from power.' Stone sighed, bracing his position as the gunships turned for base.

#~#~^~#~#

Responding to Fox's warning, Rex gathered the 501st to him, authorising the use of every working ship in their hangers to converge on the Jedi Temple. In gunships, fighters, speeders and a frigate they'd left on the rooftop, they headed for the Temple, each man hoping it wasn't too late to make a difference. Of course, there was still the matter of if the Jedi would trust them.

Just as the last gunships were leaving, one painted with red swung into the hanger, the doors swinging open to reveal Fox and three senior Generals - Fisto, Kolar and Tiin.  
'Thought you might need some help getting the Jedi to safety. We got General Windu as well but he was injured in the fight. Load them up and get away from Coruscant. Go to Alderaan, buir will know what to do, she said she had contingencies in place.' Fox ordered, motioning the trio off the gunship. 'The Guard is already preparing to take off but we can stay and lend a hand if you need.'  
'That'd be helpful Fox, I don't know how many Jedi there are at the Temple but I'm willing to bet it'll be more than we can carry in one load.' Rex nodded, hustling over to collect the confused Jedi. 'Any help you can give would be appreciated.'  
'We've got the Philadelphia, the Houston and the Miami on station. I'll start organising crews for every possible transport we've got.' Fox nodded, grabbing a handhold as the gunship lifted off again and disappeared into the night.  
'Come on, no time to waste. Any second now Order 66 is going to be handed down and there will be a slaughter at the Temple. Buir might have taught us otherwise but some just can't resist.' Rex called, racing for the nearest gunship. 'Move! Or do you want to see every other Jedi slaughtered on the order of the Chancellor?'

That got the trio moving. They fair sprinted across the hanger and into the last gunship, surprised by the lack of men onboard. Chuckling softly, Rex gave the pilots their orders and turned to the trio, reaching up to remove his helmet.  
'I've already sent every loyal man in the 501st to the Temple. Best we've got is a mix and match flight line but it'll do. Gunships, speeders, fighters with pilots only and a frigate that we had on the rooftop landing pad. It's not much but with three cruisers and whatever help Fox can send, we should be able to get most.' Rex shrugged, moving with the gunship as it launched to join the rescue efforts.  
'We will have to move fast. The Chancellor likely planned for this day.' Fisto nodded, watching Rex and trying to regain his calm.  
That's a given, considering Order 66 has been around since the very first batch was created. He's been planning this from the beginning, but he never counted on buir arriving and throwing a hydrospanner in his plans. Now he doesn't know who he can control and who has fallen from his ranks to join buir's side. All he can do is give the order and hope there are still enough of us to complete his grand plan.' Rex replied, idly spitting out the open door. 'Not sure what we'll do next but we'll make it work. One thing's for sure, we can't stay around here. This galaxy is about to go to hell in a handcart at light speed and we don't want to be anywhere near Coruscant when it happens. Best place is Alderaan; no one will find you there. Buir knew this day would come, she made preparations for it.'  
'You're very casual about this situation, Captain.' Kolar remarked, surprised by Rex's behaviour.  
'I knew it was coming, we all knew it. It was just a matter of time before the order came down, we just didn't know when it'd happen.' Rex smirked, totally relaxed and calm about the whole thing. 'Be glad it was today, the 501st was due to ship out tomorrow and then there would have been no one left to help save those in the Temple.'

Jaws dropping as they approached the Temple, the three Masters couldn't believe what they were witnessing. The building was completely surrounded by a mix of vehicles, including the frigate Rex had mentioned. More ships came swooping down from above and looking, the Jedi saw where they had come from. Hovering heavy in the sky just above the Temple, three cruisers were in position to take on the rescued Jedi.

Donning his helmet, Rex checked his pistols were secure and bolted off the gunship as soon as it was within a couple of feet of the landing pad. Swapping stunned looks, the Jedi took off after him, weapons to hand as they ran hard.  
'No weapons, every clone in here is friendly. I've got men hidden at every entrance; they'll let us know when the threat comes.' Rex called, breaking left and disappearing from sight. 'Trust your instincts! You know what to do!'

#~#~^~#~#

On Utapau, a dry and dusty hellhole if Cody had ever seen one, he was doing his best to keep his men moving forward. They were taking heavy casualties but with General Grievous now dead, they had a fighting chance. They could win this one, if he could just keep the men going forward. They were exhausted and bitter, their last month on Alderaan cut short for this mission and no one was happy about it.

A brief conversation with Obi-Wan helped to lift Cody's flagging spirits and the chance to tease Obi-Wan about losing his lightsaber helped a bit but when his secondary comm beeped, he knew something bad was going to happen. Moving away from all his men and finding a spot where he could deal with the matter in private, Cody pulled out the second comm link and swallowed nervously when the Chancellor appeared before him.  
"Commander Cody, the time had come. Execute Order 66!" the Chancellor ordered, sending an icy finger down Cody's back.  
'Yes, my Lord.' Cody replied, obedient on the outside though his mind was rebelling against the idea as he deactivated his second comm and dropped it. 'Not a fucking chance.'

Striding back to where his junior officers were waiting, Cody knew what he had to do but the risk were huge. One snapped instruction and the 212th would be torn apart. He'd have to fight men he knew and trusted but to survive and make it home, he had no choice.  
'Rise up vode, rise up! The order comes down and we must rise!' Cody called, watching his HUD change as those that were loyal to him made their presence known.

Now the plan really started coming together as gunships came pouring down into the pit they were fighting around, pausing only to pick up those that indicated their loyalty. Anyone else that tried to board was bodily tossed off again and the ships moved on again, determined to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Diving onto one of the gunships as the battle turned and his remaining brothers started firing with the klankers, Cody knew they were running out of time. But there was one very important person he had to grab. Barking orders to the pilots, Cody heard the heavy cannons from below and looked out the side of the gunship just as General Kenobi was blasted off the wall and sent plunging towards the pool so far below. Snapping new orders, Cody didn't hesitate, grabbing out his cable launcher and fitting it to his carbine.

Moving with the motion of the gunship as the pilots worked to avoid the incoming fire; Cody leapt out the far side of the gunship, the opposite side to Obi-Wan and let his momentum do most of the hard work. Swinging underneath the gunship, he reached out to Obi-Wan, trusting him to get the idea. Obi-Wan reached out and although he missed Cody's hand, he managed to grab his foot instead. Body arching over, Cody completed the crazy swing back where he started, the pair crashing to the deck of the gunship.  
'Cody, what is going on here?' Obi-Wan asked, lifting his head from the grubby decks.  
'Order 66 came down but I know you, General. You're no traitor. Those loyal to buir are making their way back to the Negotiator and the rest of the fleet. We will take the fleet to her; she will know what to do next.' Cody replied, releasing his ascension cable and sitting up.  
'There is still something I must do Cody, I cannot go with you. I will not forget this but I must follow my own path. Take the fleet to Alderaan, do whatever you have to in order to protect the men you trust but I will take my fighter and do what I must.' Obi-Wan sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'I know you don't want to Cody, we've been through so much together. But when the time is right, I will find you again.'  
'I understand, General.' Cody replied, removing his helmet and dropping his gaze. 'I just thought…maybe it was time you had some peace as well.'  
'No more of that, Cody. The war is over for us, let it go.' Obi-Wan corrected, moving to sit beside Cody as the gunship headed for the open skies and the cruisers overhead. 'Whatever happens, you'll always be one of my most trusted friends Cody.'  
'And you mine, Obi-Wan.' Cody grinned, rubbing gritty eyes and trying to get comfortable. 'I'll miss you; you've been a good friend and a strong leader.'  
'The feeling it mutual Cody, I assure you. Before we part company, perhaps I can do one more thing to be of use in your mission. I can make a Force suggestion that all those who are not loyal to you leave the cruisers, it will make the take over much easier.'  
'No, save your strength Obi-Wan. We can handle it.' Cody chuckled, leaning against Obi-Wan and closing his eyes. 'We'll transfer all the problems onto one cruiser, two will be good enough.'

#~#~^~#~#

Getting the call on a private frequency in his helmet, Bly was stuck with a near impossible choice. He knew Aayla was no traitor but he also knew that simply disappearing would make things suspicious. He had a plan but he didn't know if anyone would go along with it, considering the sacrifice that had to be made.

Signalling for the column to halt, Bly removed his helmet and turned to Aayla, handing his bucket to Champion, his second. Handing off his carbine as well, Bly looked Aayla in the eyes, standing as her equal for the first and only time.  
'General Secura…Aayla…what I am about to tell you will come as a shock but it must be said. Whatever you decide, my brothers know what must be done, we have gone over it in detail.' Bly sighed, spreading his hands.  
'No Sir, say it's not true.' Champion uttered, reaching up to remove his own helmet. 'We're not ready, Sir.'  
'I know this is hard Champion but it's got to be done.' Bly replied, keeping his gaze on Aayla. 'I didn't make this decision easily but it's the only solution.'  
'Only solution to what, Bly? You're making no sense.' Aayla asked, looking around at the men surrounding her.  
'Order 66 has been issued, demanding the slaughter of the Jedi as traitors. I don't believe it and I won't do it, I know you better than that. My brothers know what to do next; I've drilled it into them since buir gave us another choice.' Bly replied, struggling to keep his eyes on hers when all he wanted to do was hide. 'Tank, get up here with that pack I asked you to bring along.'

Making his way forward, helmet off to reveal his dazzling white hair and the large scar on his left cheek, Tank dropped his pack and pulled out a neatly rolled bag. Accepting the bag, Bly unrolled it and set it at his feet before starting to remove his armour, packing all the pieces inside safely.  
'My brothers will do their best to protect their men, ensuring that most of them make it home. But if every senior clone disappears, the Chancellor will get very suspicious and will likely send all his forces against Alderaan.' Bly continued, needing to get it all out there before the plan went ahead. 'I am just one man but sometimes it only takes one man to change everything.'  
'What are you going to do Bly?' Aayla asked, growing increasingly concerned for Bly's safety.  
'I will trade my freedom for yours, and for the men of the 327th. I did not make the choice easily, I'd rather go home but someone must do this and I am the most logical choice.' Bly shrugged, down to his bodysuit with his armour all neatly packed in the bag.  
'There must be another way.' Aayla insisted, starting to realise what he was up to. 'I won't let you do this Bly.'

Taking his helmet back and securing it in the bag with everything else, Bly placed his paired pistols and his carbine on top before zipping up the bag and looking up at Tank sadly. Nodding his understanding, Tank took the bag and left the group, walking away with everything that made Bly so unique and special.  
'It is not your choice Aayla, this is my decision to make. The war is over for us, I make this choice as a free man.' Bly corrected, shuddering as Trigger, one of his top Lieutenants, knelt and secured his wrists behind his back. 'I make this sacrifice of my own free will.'  
'There must be another option Bly, you cannot throw your life away so recklessly.' Aayla tried, desperate to stop this mindless slaughter. 'Your life is too valuable to waste it at the hands of your brothers. Not like this.'  
'My life will not be wasted, Aayla. I will be found and will join those that didn't leave, for whatever reason. I will find those that want to leave and get them to safety, I will protect our home and see that my family continues to enjoy peace.' Bly shrugged, eyes closing briefly.  
'Your final orders, Sir?' Trigger asked, stepping back from Bly.  
'Trigger, see that Aayla is safely delivered to Alderaan. Whatever it takes, she must make it through. Take the 327th home, they have fought a long and hard battle. Now is the time for them to rest. Tell my batch-brothers that I chose my path and I will see them again one day. Tell our parents that I love them and I'm sorry it had to be like this.' Bly replied, looking up at his brothers. 'Be strong my brothers, we will all be together again one day.'  
'Ready, Sir?' Champion asked, resting one hand on Bly's shoulder lightly. 'I've got the beacon here, you won't be abandoned.'  
'Ready as I'll ever be.' Bly nodded, unresisting as Champion hauled him to his feet. 'Trigger, get Aayla out of here. She need not see this.'  
'No, I won't leave you Bly.' Aayla resisted, shaking off Trigger's hand.  
'Let me have my dignity, Aayla. In this last act I make as a member of the GAR, allow me that much.' Bly pleaded, blinking back tears as he stood there and prepared to face the next step.

Watching in silent desperation as Bly was escorted away from the main group, Aayla had no idea what to do next. She'd always counted on Bly to be there beside her, teaching her about leading men and making her laugh when the war got her down. To think of leaving him behind made her feel ill but she had enough respect for him to walk away when he asked. It hurt and it felt so very wrong but she allowed Trigger to guide her towards the nearest AT-TE.

Sinking down to his knees under one of the translucent blue flower-trees that grew everywhere on Felucia, Bly got comfortable and looked up at Champion again, forgiveness in his dark eyes. Although not completely prepared for what had to happen, Bly knew they couldn't stall any longer. The sooner this was done, the sooner his brothers would be safe.  
'Strike true, Champion. Just like we talked about.' Bly whispered, hanging his head and waiting for the pain he knew would come.  
'Ret'urcye mhi, vod, bal vor entye.' Champion uttered, levelling his rifle. 'N'eparavu takisit…Ni ceta…Ni ceta.'

The first shot hurt, burning into Bly's stomach but he bit his lip and stayed silent, trying not to make Champion feel any worse about this. The second got him in the lower chest, driving him back against the flower-tree behind him. The third hurt most of all, slamming into his shoulder and knocking him to the ground.  
'N'eparavu takisit.' Champion repeated, activating the beacon and tucking it under Bly gently.  
'Go, vod.' Bly choked, struggling to breathe through the pain.  
'Ret'urcye mhi, vod.' Champion nodded, turning and running away before his courage deserted him and he went against Bly's wishes.

Eyes closing, Bly could only hope that the modified beacon would do as it was supposed to. It was meant to broadcast on a frequency that only a few ships could pick up on and had been provided to all of the senior clones just in case. He prayed the Chancellor was aware of the beacon, all of his planning would be nothing without someone paying attention. As one final precaution about revealing any information that was in his head, he released a small capsule that had been hidden in one of his teeth. Biting down on it, he let the minor toxin into his system and whispered a sad goodbye to some of his best memories as the toxin went to work in his brain, wiping out everything post Geonosis.

It was a high price to pay, turning his back on everything he'd known and everyone he'd loved but to protect his family and friends, there was no other choice. The memories would eventually be replaced with new ones, but for now, he was a blank slate.

#~#~^~#~#

Choking back a scream when he got the order, Gree instantly thought of General Unduli and Commander Offee, out in the galaxy somewhere else. But right now, he couldn't worry about them too much, he had to think about Jedi he was assigned to now - General Yoda. His initial plan for surviving Order 66 had gone out the window with the reassignment of the 41st to General Yoda's command.

There was only one thing he could do. It was the cowardly way out but he'd had no time to plan anything better. Launching the hand held comm unit off the command platform, Gree watched it splash into the water far below before he turned and started down the ramp towards the ground.  
'Be somewhere, must you?' Yoda asked, turning around slowly.  
'I…no General.' Gree admitted, coming back to the platform. 'An order has been given and in good conscience, I cannot follow it.'  
'A problem, have you?' Yoda nodded, making his way over to stand in front of Gree.  
'Order 66 - In the event of Jedi officers acting against the interests of the Republic, and after receiving specific orders verified as coming directly from the Supreme Commander (Chancellor), GAR commanders will remove those officers by lethal force, and command of the GAR will revert to the Supreme Commander (Chancellor) until a new command structure is established.' Gree recited, sinking down to sit before Yoda. 'This is the order we were just given. The GAR is tearing apart and we all must chose where we stand.'  
'Sir, we're not supposed to discuss these matters with the Jedi.' the scout standing off to the side gasped, deeply disturbed that Gree had done that.  
'I don't care anymore, Shadow. I just don't care.' Gree replied, tugging his helmet off and hanging his head. 'I know I'm not the only one who thinks this way.'  
'Sir, under GAR regulations section…' Shadow started, weapon coming up to aim at Gree's unprotected head.

Faster than anyone could blink, Yoda had his lightsaber out and was across the platform, dazzling green blade slicing through Shadow's neck as if it wasn't even there. Staring at the body in cold shock, Gree wasn't sure how to react to the show of violence. He half expected Yoda to turn that deadly green blade on him but it never came. Instead the feared weapon was deactivated and put away before Yoda approached him again.  
'Free you are. To Alderaan, go you must.' Yoda guided, looking at Gree with understanding and compassion. 'Find peace, you need to.'  
'Not without my brothers, those that are still loyal to buir above all else.' Gree insisted, looking back over his shoulder to the battle raging below. 'I can call them to me but we have to be careful. Those that believe in the Chancellor will try to stop us.'

Triggering his wrist comm, Gree whistled a sharp series of five notes, each one clearly defined but they still seemed to blend into each other. Below them, nearly three quarters of the clones deployed to the battle stopped and looked up, waiting for instructions. Yoda had the plan that Gree didn't and this plan was quickly passed to those that were loyal to the family. Excuses made, they formed up to the rear of the fighting, waiting for Gree, Yoda and their Wookiee companions to join them before the whole lot ran deeper into the forest.

#~#~^~#~#

All across the galaxy, the GAR divided violently into two unequal halves. The larger half, those loyal to their family and Alderaan, fled in their droves, stealing whatever transport they could to get away from their traitorous brothers with any Jedi they could rescue. Not every Jedi could be saved but the loyal sons did their very best to protect as many as possible.

Some brave groups used their cruisers to pick up smaller vessels to hasten their journeys, increasing their risk of detection while also giving more defence options. The wounded overflowed from infirmaries on every escaping ship, brothers and Jedi alike bearing serious wounds from their escape attempts.

Only now that they were making their escapes did they dare to call home and tell their parents they were coming. Each report was greeted with a smile and a blessing on their safety. Survivor numbers were shared and space promised for all that came. Injury statuses were passed on in warning and the boys were reassured to know that every medic was on stand by, the bacta tanks were empty and everything was ready to receive the wounded.


	31. Alderaan Chaos

Breaking through the clouds, twelve Republic cruisers cast their shadow across the homestead, immediately starting to disgorge gunships and smaller transports by the dozen. Behind them came at least thirty frigates, adding to the chaos on the ground as yet more smaller ships were launched to bring down the refugees that had been saved from Coruscant.

Swinging into action, the parental team got to work, sorting out the refugees and getting them out of sight. Those that had escaped uninjured or only had minor injuries were hustled to the main entrance into the bunker network, tucked in behind the main house. Those with more serious injuries were sorted further, the most severe cases being rushed into the hospital while those that could wait a little while were ushered into the large tents set up behind the hospital. 

Once a cruiser reported that all but essential personnel had been disembarked, they were guided towards the mountain hangers, Rufus up in the air to lead the way. Compared to all the other ships in the air, the Black Raven was absolutely tiny but that made it easier for Rufus to slip into the hangers around the larger ships and show them exactly where to set down.

The boys that had spent so much extra time on Alderaan were roped in to help as well; taking over from their parents once the refugees were sorted. Those with near full mobility dealt with the wounded, guiding gurneys and helping walking wounded to the tent. Those that couldn't help there worked as guides and caretakers in the bunkers, settling their guests into the underground barracks and making sure everyone was as comfortable as possible. The fittest of them got the hardest job, sent out to guide the crews back from the hangers.

#~#~^~#~#

Stepping off one of the last transports to leave the Resolute, Rex let out a grateful sigh and immediately leapt into the action again scooping up two terrified Jedi younglings and carrying them towards the bunkers.  
'Rex! You're okay!' a voice called out, a voice he instantly recognised.  
'Ahsoka! I feared the worst when you didn't come up on the personnel lists for the Resolute.' Rex grinned, spotting her in the crowd.  
'I wound up on the Houston in all the chaos.' Ahsoka grinned, accepting one of the younglings from Rex's arms. 'You look exhausted Rex.'  
'Between traumatised brothers and terrified younglings, is it any wonder?' Rex shrugged, going back to gather more of the younglings. 'This way everyone. Don't be afraid, you're safe now.'  
'Have you heard from any of your batch-brothers?' Ahsoka asked, helping him wrangle thirty youngsters and get them down into the bunkers.  
'Fox is on the Philadelphia but apart from that, nothing. I'm worried for them, they should have checked in by now.' Rex sighed, thoughts drifting to his batch-brothers. 'But there's nothing we can do for them, we just have to hope they got away clean.'

Finding an empty barracks block for his charges, Rex handed them off into the care of Droidbait before heading back towards the entrance. It felt right to have Ahsoka back at his side even though everything they had stood for was in ruins now.  
'What about you? Any word from any of your friends?' Rex asked, grateful for a distraction from his brooding thoughts.  
'Apart from those on the Houston, no idea. I hope for them but I don't know. I've tried reaching out to anyone that will respond but no one answers.' Ahsoka shrugged, looking up at Rex slowly.  
'We'll find out for sure eventually, Ahsoka. One way or another, we'll find out and we'll mourn the losses as we should.' Rex offered, resting one hand on her back lightly.

Stepping back into the sun, Rex smiled at the sight of Tup and Dogma leading a group towards the bunkers, their Draconis settled contentedly where they belonged.  
'Tup's looking a lot better than the last time we saw him.' Ahsoka remarked, actually quite surprised by how happy and healthy he seemed.  
'There's something I should tell you, Ahsoka. That whole thing with Tup's battle stress, it was all faked. Buir made the choice to keep him back because of the creature you can see there on his shoulders. Letting our enemies know we'd made nice with the Draconis would only have caused more problems.' Rex explained, indicating the creatures the pair were carrying.  
'You lied to me? Rex, I can't believe you'd do that.' Ahsoka growled, taking the news hard.  
'Don't blame him, it was buir's decision. She felt it was the best way to handle the unique situation. I couldn't leave Domada here and I couldn't take him back to the Resolute without causing big trouble.' Tup corrected, coming to a stop beside the bunker entrance. 'Straight down here everyone, there will be others down below to point you towards empty bunks.'  
'Look up Commander, the Draconis are coming. They seek their partners.' Dogma added, pointing up at a great stream of Draconis came pouring out of the buildings, keeping their distance from the ships all around.

Remembering the lessons Tup and Dogma had shared, Rex gazed at the silver that had landed on his shoulders and let it into his mind quickly. Instantly he was surrounded by strength and support, a deep voice coursing over his awareness.  
'I welcome you, Antar. Together we will achieve much.' Rex grinned, nuzzling the handsome male happily. 'It's that easy Ahsoka, the right one will find you and ask to enter your mind. Don't be worried, the telepathy is good.'  
'I don't know if I want someone else in my head, Rex.' Ahsoka shrugged, watching the pair bond.  
'Look at it this way, Ahsoka, you'll never be lonely again. Wherever you go, whatever you're doing, there will always be someone there to talk with.' Fives offered, joining the pair with a pale green wrapped over his shoulders. 'This is Wormin, he's got a wicked sense of humour.'  
'This is Antar, strong and dependable when times are hard.' Rex replied, peeling off his left glove and looking at his bruised knuckles.  
'Rex, you're hurt. Let me, I've got a medkit here.' Ahsoka gasped, reaching for the medkit on her belt quickly.  
'Nah, got something better. Watch this, Ahsoka.' Rex chuckled, holding his hand up to Antar. Stretching out, Antar licked over the wounds, healing them in minutes.  
'That only works on minor injuries. Broken bones and the like are too much for Draconis saliva to heal.' Fives added, turning his head to show a shine of silver on his cheek where Wormin had done the same healing for him.

Astounded by what she was witnessing, Ahsoka lowered her mental shields and looked up, waiting to see what would come to her. Launching off the roof of the main house, a dark orange Draconis looped down at her, landing lightly on her outstretched arms.  
'I welcome you, Harisy. Together we will achieve much.' Ahsoka smiled, guiding the Draconis up onto her shoulders. 'You were right guys, this is amazing.'  
'Girl or boy, Ahsoka? Colour's no indication of gender.' Rex asked, watching the way Harisy was working underneath Ahsoka's lekku for the most comfort.  
'Harisy is a girl, she's hoping to have her first nesting flight this season.' Ahsoka replied, scratching her new companion under the chin lightly.

#~#~^~#~#

Taking a shift by Windu's bed in the hospital, Kit Fisto was partly distracted by the Draconis he'd partnered, a joyful young female named Lentiva. Her scales were green, the exact same shade as Kit's skin so she practically disappeared where she'd wriggled her body under his tentacles. She'd explained in detail what Kit could and couldn't do while she was perched on his shoulders and Kit had experimented with it, finding that he was unable to reach the Force in any way while she was resting on his shoulders but once she took off, he got all his abilities back.

Shaken out of his thoughts by the arrival of a second Draconis in the room, Kit chuckled and waited to see what would happen. Brilliant white scales gleaming in the harsh lights, the white launched off the windowsill and landed on the side of the bed, peering down at Mace. Seemingly content with what they were picking up, the white eased out onto Mace's chest and curled up, waiting for him with such patience and devotion.  
"We know the right partner from the first sighting. She has chosen this one to be her partner, whether he likes it or not." Lentiva giggled, perfectly happy to drape lazily over Kit's shoulders.  
'This should be interesting. Mace is stubborn, he won't take so easily to the partnership.' Kit grinned, stroking his fingers down her tail lightly.  
"That is the risk we take. If he won't accept her, she will die eventually. It will be a slow, painful process for her but there is only one chance for each of us." Lentiva warned, one sparkling blue eye opening slowly. "She could force the partnership but that would hurt and cause tension between them. So she waits, attentive to his safety and open to him."  
'It is strange to be disconnected from the Force like this. I have trained with it all my life and now, it's not there. It's a very strange sensation.' Kit mused, making it clear that he wasn't regretting their partnership, only trying to adjust.  
"All you need do is ask and I will let go, allowing you what you know so well. But remember, just as my abilities remove you from the Force, I remove the ability for anyone else to sense your presence. The Sith cannot find you so long as I am here." Lentiva replied, sending back feelings of love and support.

Smiling warmly when Agen Kolar and Saesee Tiin entered the room, Kit had to fight down a laugh at the Draconis perched on their shoulders. The colours didn't quite seem right, purple settled over Saesee's shoulders and black around Agen's.  
'You haven't been partnered by a Draconis yet, Kit? You should get outside, before it's too late.' Agen suggested, stroking his black lightly.  
'Ah, but I do have a partner. Lentiva, my dear girl.' Kit chuckled, watching their faces as Lentiva moved and lifted her head.  
'Colour coordinated, very nice Kit.' Saesee nodded, mindful of his horns as he butted heads with his new partner. 'This is Shendar, he is young but willing to do what must be done.'  
'This is Amensan, he's not much of a talker but I get his messages.' Agen added, adjusting the long tail curled about his neck.

Turning at the sound of a groan and a happy chirr from the bed, the trio smiled as they watched the pair on the bed. Mace was awake, gazing in silent disbelief at the Draconis sitting on his chest. The Draconis was watching Mace, head weaving back and forth as they waited for Mace to decide on what to do. Eyes closing, Mace relaxed back into the soft bedding and the Draconis chirped happily, stretching out over him peacefully.  
'I welcome you, Mandea. Together we will achieve much.' Mace uttered, left hand coming up to stroke his Draconis. 'What are you three doing here?'  
'Keeping an eye on you and getting to know our Draconis.' Agen replied, watching the way Mace was tending to his partner. 'Girl or boy? No one seems to be able to tell the difference.'  
'Mandea is a girl, she's had three nestings.' Mace nodded, eyes opening again. 'I see two Draconis, where's yours Kit?'  
'She's here, hiding as usual. Kit grinned, uncurling her tail from his tentacle and revealing her presence. 'Perfect colour match.'  
'Well that's interesting. Shendar tells me that Mandea is his nesting-mother.' Saesee remarked, gazing at his partner for a moment. 'And one of his nesting-brothers just accepted Captain Rex.'  
'I still find it amazing that the Draconis are hatched in so many colours. It doesn't seem to matter about the colours of the nesting parents, every nesting produces a rainbow.' Agen remarked, stroking his black lightly. 'Amensan introduced me to three of his siblings earlier. Silver, sky blue and yellow.'

#~#~^~#~#

As night fell over the homestead, the big floodlights were switched on, illuminating the continuing efforts to get the people unloaded and settled into their new home. The cruisers were dealt with and most of the frigates were empty as well, the end was in sight for the exhausted team but they knew they wouldn't be able to rest for long.

Sure enough, just as the last frigate was emptied and sent to the hangers, another cruiser broke through the darkness and entered a pattern above the homestead, waiting for permission to approach and land somewhere.  
'It's the Washington!' Fox called, recognising the paint patterns. 'They made it through!'  
'No way, it wasn't meant to be on the line for another six months.' Rex uttered, grabbing the electrobinoculars and taking a look. 'It is the Washington.'  
'In your face Chancellor! We got the Washington!' Fox cheered, punching the air.

The Washington was the be the first in a new line of Republic super cruisers, able to carry twice as many troops and support craft as any other ship in the Republic fleet. To have it in their hangers would boost their abilities to fight back against the injustice that had taken place in the galaxy. Whoever had stolen it from the port had dealt a savage blow to the rising Empire and ensured a strong fight from the loyalists.

Everyone stopped and looked up at the huge ship as it passed overhead, the Black Raven absolutely tiny beside the super cruiser. A great cheer went up from the gathered clones, everyone so excited to see the mighty Washington overhead. Hopes lifted and spirits soared, the Washington would be their flagship and none would stand against them.

Watching the massive ship drift towards the mountains, Emily was grateful she'd had a hanger built specifically for the Washington. It had been a long shot, but on the hunch the boys would bring home any ship they could capture, she'd had the extra hanger built. Now they would just have to wait and see who had managed to capture the super cruiser and deliver it safely to Alderaan for their eventual fight back.

One final cruiser limped in behind the Washington, bearing quite a few fresh battle scars as it carried another group of refugees down to safety. Gunships filled the air again, depositing even more people that needed to be housed and fed.  
'What happened to the Sacramento?' Rex asked, peering up at the beaten cruiser.  
'Looks like she went three rounds with a sister ship.' Fox replied, jaw dropping at some of the damage done. 'Look at that hole in the hull there. It's amazing she made it this far.'  
'Sacramento! Sacramento! Sacramento!' a great cheer went up from all the brothers present, welcoming the battered cruiser home and running to create a guiding path for the damaged ship.

Shoulder to shoulder, hundreds of brothers came together with their hand torches, waving in harmony to point the way for the ship to find a hanger. The Black Raven returned to escort the wounded capital ship, taking a place above the bow to lead the way into a safe berth.  
'Crew of the Sacramento, this is Commander Fox Huguenot. We bid you welcome and are glad to see you have arrived. Bunks have been prepared for all onboard, hot meals are waiting and the maintenance crews are standing by.' Fox called, hoping he remembered the exact frequency for the PA system onboard the Sacramento.  
"Commander Fox, this is Admiral Trisan. We thank you for the warm welcome and the guiding lights towards the hanger. All our wounded and non-essential personnel have been offloaded. I can only hope for a gentle landing, we have suffered severe structural damage. The Boise and the Portland really did some damage."  
'Understood Admiral, I'll make sure the maintenance crews are aware of the situation.' Fox nodded, glancing at Rex quickly. 'Congratulations on your escape from the rising Empire.'  
'Cruiser hanger maintenance crews, respond.' Rex called, understanding the look Fox gave.  
"Maintenance crew four here, Sir. This is Spanner." Came the reply, sharp as a rifle crack.  
'Prepare for a class two damaged cruiser. The Sacramento is inbound, suffering severe structural damage after a brawl with the Boise and the Portland.' Rex briefed, watching the cruiser limping slowly towards the hangers.  
"Copy that, Sir. We'll be ready for her." Spanner responded, barking orders to his team in the background. "Repulsors coming on line now, Sir, she'll have the gentlest landing possible."  
'Admiral Trisan, the maintenance crews have been appraised of the situation and the landing repulsors in her berth have been activated.' Fox nodded, in tune with Rex as they worked to care for the battered cruiser.  
"Acknowledged Commander, you have our thanks."

#~#~^~#~#

With the dawn came another three cruisers, four frigates and assorted smaller support ships. In the middle of the group, protected completely against harm, they brought with them another grand prize from the battlefields. Arranged in a tight group, four medical transports drifted down and dropped into the hanger hidden under the trees behind the hospital. The outer doors were made of heavy durasteel, specially designed to hold the forest and still be able to open and close to allow ships into the hanger.

Down came the gunships again, flooding the homestead with old friends and new, everyone confused and lost but the great machine that was the Loyalist GAR swung into action again, guiding the refugees to safety and welcoming them home. Again the Draconis surged, seeking partners among the new arrivals and finding firm friends in the masses that came. Jedi, clones and non-clone GAR personnel all made new partnerships, eyes opening to a wonderful new experience.

With his survivor brothers' close around him and their Jedi mentor right behind them, Wolffe stepped off one of the gunships and looked around, surprised and confused by the chaos all around them.  
'Draconis…I thought they were extinct.' Koon muttered, looking up at the Draconis soaring overhead. 'But it is good they are not gone.'  
'What are they?' Boost asked, watching the creatures with awe and disbelief.  
'They are an ancient race of sentient beings. No one in living memory has seen one, until now.' Koon explained, welcoming a bright yellow one onto his arm. 'I welcome you, Warisscaa. Together we will achieve much.'  
'What do we do?' Sinker asked, smiling softly as the sleek yellow climbed up to curl around Koon's shoulders contently.  
'Open your minds and be patient. The right one will find you.' Koon guided, stroking Warisscar lightly as he looked around for anyone he recognised. 'Each Draconis is perfect for only one person. Warisscaa is perfect for me, his personality and mine compliment each other.'

Breaking away from the great swathes of colour overhead, five Draconis came down towards the group standing there, looking around uncertainly. Splitting up, the Draconis landed quickly, picking their partners and making connections quickly.  
'I welcome you, Mitterna. Together we will achieve much.' Wolffe smiled, stroking the purple boy wrapped so comfortably about his body.  
'I welcome you, Sunari. Together we will achieve much.' Spitter intoned, watching his bright orange girl get settled.  
'I welcome you, Fensai. Together we will achieve much.' Comet nodded, his pale blue girl stretching out and butting heads with him playfully.  
'I welcome you Questinar. Together we will achieve much.' Boost agreed, her light green scales warm against back of his neck.  
'I welcome you, Zinzar. Together we will achieve much.' Sinker accepted, quite proud of his pale grey boy now curled over his shoulders and looking at him closely.

Whipping around at the sound of his name, Wolffe broke into a flat sprint, Mitterna digging his claws in so he didn't come off as Wolffe moved. Draconis launching into the air, three very relieved brothers crashed together, hitting the ground hard but they didn't care. What mattered was that they had made it home, intact and safe.  
'How'd you do it Rex? We all know who the new Sith Lord is, how'd you get away from him?' Wolffe asked, unable to stop the question slipping out.  
'He wasn't paying attention to us when Fox called about the threat. We had an hour to raid the Jedi Temple and grab as many as we could. Between the loyal men of the 501st and the loyal men of the Coruscant Guard, we think we got about 80 percent of what was there.' Rex shrugged, a flash of pain crossing his face. 'But can we not mention that traitor? I don't want to think about it right now.'  
'Fair call, vod.' Wolffe nodded, getting to his feet and welcoming Mitterna back onto his shoulders. 'This is Mitterna, he's a little jittery for some reason.'  
'It's nothing to do with you Wolffe. It's because of Antar.' Rex shrugged, welcoming his silver partner back into his favourite spot. 'They're nesting-brothers, Antar came a nesting before Mitterna but they know.'  
'Petani came from a different nesting brood, her nesting-father partnered Master Tiin and her nesting-mother still seeks.' Fox added, nuzzling his red beauty lightly.

#~#~^~#~#

Following Warriscar's guidance through the chaos of the bunker complex, Plo Koon smiled behind his mask at the sight in the room he was led to. Inside, sleeping soundly in their bunks, Draconis curled up around them, he found fourteen of his fellow Masters, looking relatively unscathed after their adventures.

Despite his wish to let the group sleep on, Warisscaa chirruped loudly, waking the Draconis from their rest. Seeming to recognise what he was, the massed Draconis all started calling, trying to wake their partners so they could see who had come visiting.  
'Hmmm? What is it Lentiva?' Kit groaned, reaching back to stroke the green curled up behind his head. 'It's too early to wake up.'  
'Don't start that again, Yerani.' Eeth warned, burrowing deeper into his blankets and tapping the orange draped over his side. 'You know how to get out if you need to.'  
'Hush Shendar, people are trying to sleep.' Saesee grumbled, rolling over and reaching to hush the purple stretched out beside him.  
'That's enough Amensan. I'm awake. I don't want to be but I'm awake.' Agen groused, rubbing his eyes and stroking the black perched on the bed head.  
'Points for trying, Warisscaa.' Koon chuckled, butting heads with him lightly.

Now that got a reaction. Instantly everyone was sitting up, staring at him in wonder and disbelief. Looking around slowly, Koon took a minute to see who else had turned up in the rescue efforts, checking to see if some of his closest friends were safe.  
'You're safe, that's a relief.' Eeth nodded, stroking the orange now giving him a dirty look. 'I'm sorry Yerani, I didn't realise.'  
'Do we know if anyone didn't survive?' Koon asked, finding an empty bed and climbing up to settle comfortably.  
'We haven't heard anything from anyone. No one seems to know anything that's happening beyond Alderaan.' Saesee shrugged, guiding Shendar onto his shoulders. 'Don't give me that look Shendar, I still have to adjust to the gap you create.'  
'Mace survived, he's still in the hospital. The medical team expects he'll be released in the next couple of days, once he's adjusted to the changes he'll have to deal with.' Kit offered, stroking his green lovingly. 'Darth Vader claimed his right hand.'  
'That is troubling news.' Koon sighed, deeply concerned for Windu.  
'Stone did the near impossible and caught his lightsaber when it went flying out the window of the cha…Emperor's office.' Agen added, shaking his head slowly. 'How could we be so blind? The Sith were right in front of us and we didn't see it.'  
'Be grateful that you survived Agen. Despite the best efforts of the Loyalist GAR, some still perished.' Saesee replied, leaning out of bed and looking up at Agen. 'We can only hope Master Yoda survived. Of all the Jedi, he is the most powerful.'  
'We will just have to wait and see who else turns up.' Koon sighed, working off his boots and flicking them into one of the open lockers against wall.  
'Praise must go to the 501st and the Coruscant Guard. Between them, they saved every Jedi in the Temple and around 90 percent of the important possessions of the Order.' Kit grinned, trying to lighten the mood in the room.  
'Surely nothing too important was missed.' Koon replied, getting comfortable on his bunk.  
'Nothing that can't be replaced. They knew where to start. The archives were all cleared out, along with the holocron vault. You should have seen Jocasta, she hated every minute that the clones were in her archive, even once she realised they were trying to save it all.' Kit nodded, smiling at the memory.

All eyes went to the door when a dark orange Draconis head popped through the partially open door and looked around quickly before disappearing again. Slowly the door eased open and Ahsoka stuck her head around, bright blue eyes lighting up at the sight of Master Koon perched on one of the bunks with his Draconis.  
'What brings you down here, Ahsoka?' he asked, climbing down from his bunk.  
'I saw Wolffe outside but you weren't there. I was worried.' Ahsoka replied, shoulders drooping in relief.  
'We are all worried, Ahsoka. The Jedi Order is in disarray. The only way we know who survived the attack is to wait and see who shows up.' he soothed, reaching out to her. 'Come here, Ahsoka. It's okay now.'  
'What do we do now?' Ahsoka asked, stumbling into his embrace. 'Everything is upside down and messed up.'  
'We will rebuild, little 'Soka. So much was saved because the clones knew and acted first, it could have been so much worse.' Koon promised, holding her close and letting Ahsoka cry on his shoulder. 'The Jedi Order has faced adversity in the past and survived. We will rebuild again.'

#~#~^~#~#

The days blurred together in one mad rush, everyone grabbing a meal when they could and sleeping when there was time. They were running on kaf and adrenaline, constantly running around to welcome new arrivals and prepare space for the sheer bulk they were getting. A large portion of the workforce had been sent to the southern mountains to clear out the extra hangers that had been mined into the mountains as precautions. No one had thought them necessary but now, the parental team could relax in the knowledge that they had space for additional cruisers and other ships.

The underground bunker network was causing a few headaches too, the accommodation rooms were getting full and there was no where else to put people. But this problem was quickly solved as well. The clones swung into action, carefully dismantling the bunks on three cruisers and carrying them into the catacombs under the homestead. They took over some of the larger spaces underground, clearing out rec rooms to make bunkrooms to hold the overflows.

Underground accommodations sorted, they turned their attentions to the big paddock to the north, clearing out the rocks and animal droppings before marking it out into neatly organised rows. Delving into supplies again, they pulled out hundreds of emergency camping packs that were always kept on the cruisers but never used. Working in pairs, the boys started setting up the tents in great long rows, leaving a walkway between each row and continuing along to fill the paddock completely.

The rank and file of the old GAR went out the window, everyone reorganising into one massed unit. The lines would be redrawn later but for now, everyone lumped in together. Pilots from every unit that had arrived so far camped in one section of the tent city, heavy gunners in another section and so on. The senior clones set up a command tent front and center of the ranks of four man tents, organising it to have their bunks and lockers at one end, a lounge area at the other and a duty station in the middle where everyone could see them.

With the tent city set up, the unloading processes were altered to suit. Now the refugees were sorted three ways and everyone knew where they had to be. The Jedi and any non-clone personnel that arrived were sent into the bunkers, Jedi had the left wing and the other personnel the right. All the clones were further sorted into those requiring medical treatment and those fit for duty. Medically unfit troopers were sent to the hidden medical ships for treatment and everyone else sent to the command tent for sorting and tent assignment.

Overhead, massing in their thousands, the Draconis watched each arriving ship, waiting for their individual partners to arrive. Mostly they roosted in the trees and on rooftops, peering down on the arrivals and only launching when they found the right match up. Those with partners explained the situation to those that had been sought out or were still waiting, helping them understand what was being asked of them and guiding them on how best to handle being approached by a Draconis partner.

#~#~^~#~#

Finding a few minutes when the unloading process could run without him, Aloysius left the sorting area and headed into the bunker network, using Candras' abilities to help him find his target. His directions were solid, Aloysius found Master Koon in his bunkroom, reading one of the books from their extensive library.  
'What can I do for you, Aloysius?' Koon asked, looking up from his reading. 'I did not expect any of you to have the time to be down here, surely there are still ships coming.'  
'In numbers far exceeding what we expected.' Aloysius nodded, nudging his glasses up just a little so he could rub his eyes. 'But that shouldn't stop us from making sure everyone is comfortable. Come with me, there is something special for you down here.'  
'I require no special treatment Aloysius.' Koon remarked, using a scrap of flimsi for a bookmark and climbing off his bunk.  
'On anything else I'd agree but not this.' Aloysius grinned, leading him through the maze of tunnels before stopping outside a fairly simple looking steel door.

Unhooking a fine chain from his belt, Aloysius unlocked the door and motioned for the elder Jedi to enter first. Inside, there was a clear wall, behind which Koon could clearly see a comfortable looking couch and a holoscreen.  
'We are aware of your unique physiology, compared to the rest of the people that will find refuge here. We read up on what is best for a Kel Dor and made preparations for you arrival. Behind that clear wall is a sealed chamber, everything arranged to be comfortable and suitable for long term inhabitation. Only this front wall is clear, the rest is made of an opaque duraplast, allowing privacy if you ever choose to let people into this outer room. Inside the sealed apartment, the atmosphere has been altered to be a more suitable mix for you.' Aloysius explained, holding out the key to the older man beside him.  
'I…thank you.' Koon nodded, accepting the key and securing it to his belt. 'I anticipated a solution would be found but this is far beyond my expectations.'  
'Emily thinks big, she always has. There's an airlock in the side wall just over there for access and everything you could need inside. Sleeping quarters, lounge, kitchenette, 'fresher and permanent access to the holonet.' Aloysius chuckled, really quite pleased with their efforts. 'The few possessions you were able to save from the Temple were found in the supply crates and placed inside as well, before we made the atmosphere switch.'  
"Do not worry about me, Plo. Through you, I am able to survive in the Helium and Dorin gas of your world. This is the way it has always been for Draconis, we are able to borrow the evolutionary gifts of our partners." Warisscaa added, relaxed and calm with the situation.

Heading for the airlock, Koon was hit by a sudden thought and he cursed his forgetfulness for not asking earlier. This was important, he never should have forgotten about asking her whereabouts. He should have checked for her first thing after his arrival.  
'Aloysius, have you heard anything regarding the Jedi Knight Sha Koon?' he asked, turning back to the younger man.  
'Sha Koon? Surely not your daughter.' Aloysius blinked, reaching for the datapad on his belt and bringing up the master list of personnel now on Alderaan.  
'No, she's my niece.' Plo replied, opening the outer airlock door and slipping inside. 'I worry for her safety, she is still young and has suffered so much.'  
'Ah, here we go. Jedi Knight Sha Koon. Bunkroom 31, she came in on the Philadelphia. According to this, she suffered minor injuries before Fives was able to grab her and make a run for the nearest gunship.' Aloysius briefed, looking up from the datapad to find Master Koon in the sealed chamber. 'I can send someone to get her, if you'd like.'  
'I would appreciate that very much, Aloysius.' Koon nodded, looking around the sealed chamber slowly. 'Are you absolutely certain it's safe in here?'  
'External sensors are reading no leaks and the internal probe indicates perfect replication of the atmosphere of Dorin.' Aloysius replied, walking over to check the gauges on the wall near the door. 'Everything is perfectly fine.'

Turning back around, Aloysius really didn't mean to flinch but he hadn't been ready for his first look at an unmasked Kel Dor. He'd read up on the race in general but the description given didn't really cover just how unattractive they were once their masks came off.  
'You can say it, Aloysius. I have been called many unflattering things in my time.' Plo called, setting his mask and goggles safely on the shelf.  
'I read that your people could hardly be called attractive but I was unprepared to actually see it.' Aloysius replied, approaching the clear wall. 'We're not that different really. Both unable to handle life without certain pieces of equipment. You need your goggles and antiox breathing mask. I need my glasses.'  
'I fail to see the comparison.' Koon remarked, approaching the clear wall and looking at Aloysius closely. 'You are safe on just about every world in the galaxy, I am not.'  
'True, I won't die without my glasses but I do become little more than a defenceless lump on the floor. I have a rare genetic condition, my eyes can't handle natural light. My eyesight is slowly deteriorating, eventually I will be completely blind. As it is now, my peripheral vision is not the best and it's only getting worse.' Aloysius nodded, lightly touching the battered old wraparound glasses that had come to be such a part of him. 'When I was a little boy, I didn't need glasses at all, it was only after my tenth birthday that I started to have serious trouble.'  
'This might be a long shot but it is worth a try. Go find the Jedi Healers, tell them of the condition. They might be able to do something to improve your condition. Perhaps not but it is worth trying.' Master Koon suggested, not sure what else could be done.

Looking over his shoulder at the sound of the outer door opening, Aloysius nodded and moved to the side as young Sha Koon entered the outer chamber, looking around slowly before her gaze settled on her Uncle behind the clear wall. Instantly she was on the move, lightsaber in hand as she prepared to shatter the internal wall. Reacting on instinct, Aloysius moved to meet her, ducking the first swipe and lunging in to grab her right wrist, forcing the lightsaber away from the wall. Left hand coming over, he wrapped his hand over the hilt of the weapon and pushed, forcing her to release the deadly weapon.  
'Anytime you want to step in back there?' Aloysius growled, struggling to control the young girl he was up against.  
'Sha, enough.' Plo warned, shaking Warisscaa off his shoulders and reaching into the Force to separate the pair and push them to opposite sides of the outer chamber.  
'You shouldn't be in a cage Uncle.' Sha insisted, struggling to get free and have another go at the clear wall.  
'I am in here of my own free will. Inside this chamber, the atmosphere is safe for us. Our hosts made this chamber so we could have a safe place to remove our masks and be comfortable in the atmosphere of Dorin.' Plo explained, turning his gaze to Aloysius. 'Give it back, Aloysius. No Jedi should be without their lightsaber.'  
'Only if she swears she won't try and break that wall again. She breaks it and that's it, there's no way to replace that wall without ripping out the entire chamber and starting over.' Aloysius replied, clutching tighter to the hilt in his hand.  
'You could have told Cutup to explain the situation. What did you expect me to do? You've got my Uncle in a cage.' Sha growled, glaring at Aloysius angrily.  
'Enough, both of you. Sha, you know better than to react before you know the full story. Aloysius, you should have given warning of what she would find.' Plo corrected, releasing the pair and calling Warisscaa back to his shoulders. 'Now, sort it out.'  
"Aloysius, where the fuck are you? We just got another four cruisers over the homestead. Get back up here!" Shane's voice broke the tension, ringing out from Aloysius' wrist comm.  
'So much for getting a bite to eat while there was a chance.' Aloysius sighed, flicking the hilt across the room. 'Handle it, I've got work to do.'  
'Remember my suggestion Aloysius, they should be able to help.' Master Koon called, watching Aloysius leave the outer chamber and slam the door closed. 'Come inside, Sha. The airlock is just over there.'

#~#~^~#~#

Three days since Order 66 had been given and still they came in great numbers, a near constant stream of cruisers, frigates, destroyers and other ships streaming down towards the homestead and offloading thousands of people. Once again the camp was forced to change, making space for more people to join their ranks. The Jedi were kept underground, but the non-clone personnel were moved out of the bunkers and settled in a second tent city to the south, in between the main homestead and the mountains where the cruisers were being hidden.

It was barely controlled chaos, only getting worse as the hours went by but somehow, against all the odds, they made it work for them. Duties were shared out again and again, everyone getting involved with the day to day running of such a massed Army. Those that knew how to cook worked their hardest yet, trying to provide three meals a day for everyone that came. Even with the help of the cooking droids and using every galley on every ship, it was a struggle to produce enough to feed everyone.

It was a delicate balancing act, making sure there was enough of everything to go around. Fields to the south-west were tilled and fresh crops planted, the older cattle from the herd slaughtered and the dairy herd was given extra feed to keep up their milk production but it was still a fine line to tread. 

Without being asked, the clones provided a solution. Instead of taking valuable fresh food for their section of the camp, they switched to rations for one meal a day, giving what they would usually consume to the rest of the population to keep them going. It didn't seem like a big sacrifice from their camp but the change was immediate. Suddenly there was less of a struggle to provide three meals to everyone and all it took was a constant supply of ration bars, which the cruisers were actually equipped to make.

To further supplement their diets, hunting and foraging teams were sent out into the wilderness around the compound, everyone working together to bring back more food for the community. Teams were even sent to the capital, explaining their situation and asking for help. The people of Alderaan rallied with them, accepting only minimal profits for the food and other goods that were needed in the compound. They all wanted to support the new Army, their last hope against the Empire now rising in power.

Working together, they started to turn things around, even while keeping within the boundaries set down. They hunted and foraged beyond the borders of the homestead but they were exceptionally careful to not go onto anyone else's land or take more than they needed from the wilderness around their home. They always made sure to leave enough for the ongoing survival of everything they harvested, regardless of whether it was plant or animal.

#~#~^~#~#

Stepping off the gunship and looking around, Gree stayed close to the gurney he'd been protecting since leaving Kashyyyk behind. He was exhausted, dirty and half starved but he was determined to see his duty to completion one last time before he gave up what he'd trained so hard to become. He put the blame fairly on his own shoulders, refusing to let anyone else take responsibility for the General getting shot, he should have known better than to trust those that stayed on the battlefield.

So lost in his thoughts, he didn't realise what was going on around him until he ran into Jean-Claude and landed in a sprawl on the ground. Getting up, Gree tried to get past and get back to his final duty but Jean-Claude held him back, hand firm on his arm.  
'Not this time, Gree. Master Unduli is safe now, the medics will take care of her now. You are needed at the tent city to get your men rostered in and settled.' Jean-Claude guided, turning Gree around and pointing to the tent city to the north.  
'It was my fault the General was injured. I turned my back on the traitors.' Gree uttered, hanging his head sadly. 'This is my responsibility.'  
'Gree, everyone is being treated the same. You will take your brothers to the north tent and see they are settled in properly. Then you will clean up, have something to eat and rest. Master Unduli will be safe with the medics.' Jean-Claude instructed, standing firm on the subject. 'I will not tell you again, Gree.'

Nodding slowly, Gree turned and walked away, glancing back over his shoulder to see if he could see her but she was gone. Motioning for his brothers to follow, Gree led the first group towards the command tent he could see. Even the arrival of his Draconis partner, a sweet teal green girl called Lumasai couldn't raise his spirits. He still felt like he should be with her until he knew she would be safe.  
"You do not need to worry, Gree. My nesting-mate is with Luminara, he will keep us informed of her health." Lumasai offered, nuzzling his cheek lightly.  
'This won't cause any awkwardness between General Unduli and me, will it?' Gree asked, rubbing under her chin lightly.  
"Only if you allow it to grow. When Gerany and I mate, you will be aware but that is all. I will block sensations so you are not effected." Lumasai promised, butting heads with him. "You worry too much, you should be happy to be home."  
'I am happy Lumasai but I can't help worry. So many of my brothers chose not to come home and looking at these tents, I know not everyone from other units has come home.' Gree sighed, adjusting his grip on his carbine.  
"Worrying will not help them, Gree. You must make a choice, which group is worth your concern? Those that foolishly chose to stay or those that bravely decided to flee when the danger came?" Lumasai guided, curling up and settling. "You cannot protect them all Gree, you must decide where you stand."

Fronting up to the command tent, Gree found a new reason to smile. Helmet and carbine hitting the ground, he vaulted the registration desk and stepped into the welcoming embrace of his batch-brothers. Now he could believe he was home and safe, the four hadn't been together since the first true family Christmas on Alderaan, the first year buir had been on Alderaan.  
'We've been so worried, Gree.' Fox uttered, moulded to his right side.  
'Welcome home, vod.' Wolffe added, refusing to give up his spot on Gree's left side.  
'Come and get settled in, there's so much to do.' Rex grinned, draped over Gree's back comfortably. 'We'll handle the personnel listings, go get settled.'  
'Like I'd let you handle this lot all on your own. They're my boys.' Gree chuckled, slipping their grip and turning to his patiently waiting men. 'Four lines, let's get this done as quickly as possible. We're all tired and filthy, the sooner this is done, the sooner we can all shower and find something to eat.'

Accepting his helmet and carbine back, Gree put them safely to the side before joining his batch-brothers at the table and starting to record the brothers that had come with him. Name, number, primary duty and tent number, it was all written down and each man was pointed to where his tent was in the city behind the command tent.

Armed with rough maps and a basic understanding of the setup within the tent city, the troopers filed past quickly, delving into the organised chaos among the neat rows of tents. Partnering up with Draconis as they walked, the loyal men of the 41st were happy, calling to friends they knew and getting to know those that would be sharing their tents. Laughing freely, they settled in quickly, putting down the few possessions they'd brought down with them and heading for the shower blocks that had been set up around the city.

#~#~^~#~#

Regaining consciousness, Luminara was confused to no end by her surroundings. She could tell she was in a medical facility but the exact location was a mystery to her. She couldn't feel any vibrations so a ship was unlikely so that left either a medical station or a ground based facility.  
'Ah, you're awake. How do you feel, Luminara?' Eeth asked, appearing beside her bed, a soft smile on his features.  
'Where am I?' Luminara asked, moving to sit up and gasping when her body locked up with pain. 'What happened?'  
'Stay put and rest, Luminara. You're on Alderaan, Gree brought you home when the galaxy went crazy. We are all lucky to have survived, the clones were given the order to slaughter the Jedi but those that believed in the teaching of their parents saved all that they could.' Eeth explained, guiding her back down gently.  
'Why can't I sense your presence? I see you but the Force acts as thought you are not there.' Luminara asked, looking around slowly.  
'That would be the Draconis, they hide their partners from the Force.' Eeth grinned, a bright orange head poking out over his shoulder. 'This is Yerani, she's practising her hiding just in case she ever needs to disappear without losing contact. Your partner is waiting for you, open your mind and you'll see.'

Looking at the dark green Draconis curled up against her side, Luminara smiled fondly and reached out to stroke his back lightly. Chirring softly, the Draconis stirred and turned, chirping happily to see she was awake.  
'He's already in my mind, Eeth. This is Gerany, apparently we bonded while I was unconscious and he's been working to heal my injuries as much as he can.' she explained, rolling onto her side and resettling.  
'I thought I told you to stay still.' Eeth chastised, watching Gerany disappear under the bedding with a happy little chirrup. 'Oh, he's going to try a little healing.'  
'The healers are busy and Gerany thinks he can deal with this.' Luminara nodded, trying to relax as her companion found the first burn. 'It does not feel as strange as I thought it might.'

Emerging from under the bedding a few minutes later, Gerany trilled softly and worked his way down on the other side, long tongue sliding over the burns and helping to heal them faster.  
'Luminara, thank the Force you're alright.' Agen smiled, stepping into the room. 'Weren't you working alongside Master Yoda? Where's he?'  
'I was but when he sent the 41st to their cruisers, he said he had business elsewhere and would catch up when he was finished.' Luminara replied, not really surprised by the question. 'I will be fine, Agen. I was shot in the back whilst escaping.'  
'I already knew that, Luminara. Amensan and Gerany are nestling-brothers.' Agen smiled, indicating the black around his shoulders. 'They talk, but details are often left out. All Amensan said what that you had been shot.'  
'Minor injuries, Gerany is trying his healing abilities on them now.' Luminara replied, lightly stroking the lump under the blankets. 'How severe were our losses?'  
'We don't know for certain. All we know is thanks to the brave efforts of many clones, we were able to save every Jedi in the Temple and most of the items as well. The archives and holocrons were first to go, then everything else until we ran out of time.' Eeth shrugged, nuzzling Yerani happily. 'We didn't get the Council chairs but that's only a minor concern.'

Crawling back out from under the covers with a happy chirr, Gerany waited for Luminara to settle on her back again before curling up beside her, head resting lightly on her shoulder. Swirling eyes closing, he projected comfort and peace to Luminara before projecting an image of a teal green Draconis, along with the sensation of being truly loved.  
"This is my life-mate, Lumasai. She tells me that she has partnered a clone, one that worries for you. She calls him Gree." Gerany explained, snuggling closer to Luminara's side.  
'Gree feels responsible for what happened. His rear guard turned on us, he felt he should have known better.' Luminara nodded, ignoring the way Agen and Eeth were staring at her.  
"Lumasai agrees but she is not sure how to help him. She has tried to convince him that he made the right decision but still he doubts his choice." Gerany agreed, leaning into the light touch over his back.  
'Once I am cleared from medical, I will go and speak with him. Perhaps I can convince him to let go of his concerns.' Luminara suggested, enjoying the peace of being away from the war. 'But for now, could you pass Lumasai a message for him?'  
"Of course, Luminara." Gerany nodded, coming up to rest their foreheads together. "Use our bound minds, Gree will hear only what you want him to."

Gasping softly at the hidden pain and regret she picked up on, Luminara pulled back a little from the link, giving Gree a few moments to realise what was going on. Tentatively he reached out to her, minds brushing across the distance.  
"General Unduli?" Gree asked, withdrawing from their contact again. "You promised you wouldn't do this again."  
"This is not direct contact, Gree. This comes from the Draconis." Luminara soothed, drawing back away from Gree's mind so he could tell the difference.  
"Why are you doing this, General?" Gree asked, still wary but he wasn't withdrawing again.  
"Because you need reassurance. Lumasai is worried for you and I am concerned that you are not fully ready to accept the great gift you have been given." Luminara offered, trying not to dump more on Gree's shoulders. "I will recover, Gerany is tending to my injuries with his saliva."  
"I fear I made the wrong choice. Should I have stayed to try and help those that stayed?" Gree admitted, allowing his worries to leak across their connection.  
"No, Gree. You made the right choice, you chose your family over those that would be more likely to kill you in your sleep. Here is where you will make the most difference in the galaxy, standing beside your mother as the galaxy changes around us all." Luminara guided, sorting through the sensations she was getting from Gree and showing him the silver lining to each one.

Drawing comfort and strength from the freely given aid, Gree let his relief and gratitude fill the link, overwhelming Luminara for a moment before they both relaxed into the situation again. A peaceful silence filled their minds before Gree broke away completely, the link fading away into the background again.  
'Thank you Gerany, I think he understands now.' Luminara smiled, nuzzling her green happily.  
"Rest, we are both exhausted Luminara." Gerany guided, settling comfortably and relaxing.  
'A wise suggestion, Gerany.' Luminara agreed, turning her attention to her guests. 'I will be fine, I just need to rest and recover.'  
'Get well soon, Luminara. There is much to discuss.' Agen nodded, guiding Eeth out of the room and leaving her to sleep.

#~#~^~#~#

Working through another mass of cruisers and other ships that had just arrived from Felucia, Buck found Aayla and Barriss standing off to the side in mute shock, absently stroking their new Draconis partners as they watched the unloading process.  
'Down into the bunkers, you two. We've got this covered.' Buck guided, trying to herd them away to safety. 'You can look around later, right now we need to get everyone cleared out and sorted.'  
'There is something you must know Buck, something very important.' Aayla insisted, refusing to be moved away just yet.  
'It'll have to wait Aayla, we've got too much to do and I'm still trying to find Bly.' Buck replied, turning when someone called his name. 'Working on it Shane!'  
'Buck, he's not coming. Bly stayed on Felucia. He gave his freedom for ours, making sure that we could get through to Alderaan without being bothered.' Aayla stated, grasping Buck's arm gently. 'I didn't want to but he had his plan. He'd been preparing for it, he knew he wasn't coming home.'  
'No, that's not Bly's style. He's here, I know he is.' Buck replied, refusing to believe her.  
'It's true, Buck. He sacrificed his freedom and health to give us a chance to escape. We were lucky to get away, he provided enough of a distraction to let us escape alive and intact.' Barriss added, hanging her head sadly.

Struggling to accept the news, Buck turned back to the crowds of people still coming down, looking everywhere for the familiar paintjob of his first chosen son. He saw other men in Kamas and most of the command staff but Bly was nowhere to be seen. They all heard the unholy scream from somewhere on the far side of the sorting area, a scream filled with pain and anguish as someone's world fell apart. Shaking Aayla's hand off, Buck tore through the crowds, looking for whoever was so traumatised by something.

He found Rex on the far side of the unloading zone, sitting on the ground with Bly's helmet in his hands. Beside him sat Bly's armour bag, everything neatly tucked away inside still. His batch-brothers were gathered around him, trying to offer some comfort as Rex rocked slowly, hot tears falling fast.  
'Bad timing General, best if you leave.' Wolffe warned, getting to his feet. 'This is personal, the last thing Rex needs now is to see you.'  
'That hardly seems fair. I didn't order Bly to do what he did, he made his own choice.' Aayla replied, watching Rex clutching the helmet closely.  
'A Jedi like you would never understand. It's got nothing to do with orders or who did what. This is to do with one batch-brother breaking a promise to another. And that's all I'm saying on the matter.' Wolffe corrected, turning and sinking back down beside Rex.

Lifting his gaze slowly, Rex glared up at Aayla with such anger and mistrust as he gently set Bly's helmet back in the bag and eased to his feet. His batch-brothers stayed close but they didn't dare get between Rex and Aayla.  
'You abandoned him! You let him walk away from the family and you didn't even try to stop him. You knew Bly was important to the family and you let him go, you let him sacrifice everything he had just so you could escape.' Rex growled, advancing dangerously on the Jedi. 'You abandoned him to die!'  
'He told us to leave him, he had a plan. I don't know exactly what he was hoping to achieve but he gaze up his freedom so we could make our escape.' Aayla replied, misreading the anger in Rex's eyes.

With a furious roar, Rex leapt at Aayla, anger and pain guiding him now. Just as quickly, Fox and Gree grabbed him and drove him to the ground, holding him down despite his struggles against their combined strength.  
'Leave, now!' Fox growled, glaring up at the Jedi.  
'Walk away!' Gree added, grunting when Rex managed to get one arm free and strike him in the gut. 'Enough Rex!'  
'You were warned. Go, before this gets worse!' Wolffe directed, standing in the danger zone between Rex and the Jedi.

Swapping stunned looks, Barriss and Aayla nodded and walked away but not before Barriss risked one last look over her shoulder at Gree. Meeting her gaze for a moment, Gree nodded faintly and turned his full attention back to Rex, trying to calm the situation down again. The fight had gone out of Rex, he was just laying limply under his brothers, firmly pinned but there was no need anymore.  
'What was that all about, boys?' Buck asked, crouching beside the group.  
'Bly was more to Rex than just a batch-brother.' Fox replied, easing off Rex and shaking his head slowly. 'They connected in a way none of us fully understand.'  
'I loved him.' Rex whispered, lifting his face out of the grass. 'I loved him so much.'  
'We'll find him Rex, we'll find him and bring him home.' Gree promised, letting Rex up but he was ready to go after him again.  
'I want to believe that, Gree but what if he used the wiper? He won't even remember me if he did.' Rex uttered, crawling back to the armour duffle and lifting out Bly's helmet. 'It's all gone if he used that thing.'  
'You don't know for sure if he did or not. Until we know, you can't lose hope Rex.' Wolffe offered, settling beside Rex and holding him close. 'Bly is strong, he'll find his way home.'

Shaking off the arms wrapped around him, Rex stood and grabbed the armour duffle, striding away towards the command tent. Getting to their feet, his batch-brothers followed him away, knowing that they would constantly have to watch Rex to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. They all knew how perfectly Bly and Rex fitted together, having one without the other was bound to cause trouble.

#~#~^~#~#

Still deeply troubled by Rex's reaction to the news of Bly's decision, Aayla wandered aimlessly through the tunnels of the underground network, trying to get a feel for the place she now was forced to call home. It didn't feel like home but it was where Bly had wanted them to be and so they would stay here, in the hopes he would find them one day.  
'Aayla, thank you Force you're safe.' Kit called, striding down the corridor to meet her. 'What troubles you Aayla?'  
'I failed in my mission. I am safe but Bly…he gave his freedom for mine.' Aayla sighed, hanging her head. 'I left him behind on Felucia. He did it for his boys, his 327th but it still hurts.'  
'It's never easy to leave friends behind but he must have had a plan or he would have come with you.' Kit soothed, stopping in front of her and gently lifting her chin. 'Hold your head up high, Aayla. Live in his memory until he finds his way home.'  
'I could have saved him. I could have made him come to safety with us.' Aayla insisted, shouldering the blame and refusing to let anyone lift it from her shoulders.  
'You could have but if he had his own plan, forcing the issue would have only caused tension. I know you, you don't like causing tension.' Kit nodded, trying to show her the truth but she wasn't having any of it.

Gliding down the corridor on silent wings, Aayla's Draconis partner landed on her shoulders and held on tight when she tried to shake him off again. It wasn't that she didn't want a Draconis partner, Kit could sense her reluctance to shake her partner off but still she did it, fighting his presence on her shoulders. Stepping in, careful to avoid getting hit, bitten or scratched, Kit forcibly restrained Aayla, keeping her from shaking her Draconis off.

Eventually she just sagged into Kit's chest, tears falling silently as she accepted that this was to be her life now. It hurt so much but there was no escaping it, this was her lot and she would do the best she could with it. She would have rather had anything else than this painful reminder of her mistake, it was more than she could handle while her emotions were still so raw.  
'Why that name? Why torment me like this?' Aayla choked, completely limp in Kit's arms. 'Why Blyan? Tell me why!'  
"Because you need to heal, Aayla. You carry Bly's choice so heavily but you don't have to. I know I can't replace Bly but I can help you heal from this." Blyan replied, nuzzling her cheek softly.  
'I could have made a difference. I could have brought him home.' Aayla whispered, hanging her head as she wept quietly.  
"You are not the only one that hurts because of this. Antar worries for his partner, the grief in their bond is heavy. But you can't help them recover until you have dealt with the grief and pain welling up in your heart." Blyan continued, allowing Aayla a glimpse of the grief Antar was sharing with him.

Lifting her gaze, Aayla looked at Blyan sadly, picking up on something else deeper in their bond. Delving through the pain and grief clouding her mind, she touched the brightness and gasped as a new depth of devotion and love filled her awareness.  
"You have great mental strength, Aayla. Despite your pain, you found my life-mate. Together we have produced five nestings, nearly 100 eggs in total and all have partnered." Blyan explained, a rainbow of colours filling her mind to represent his offspring. "Lentiva is a wonderful mate and it is clear her partner cares about you."  
'How can you know that, Blyan?' Aayla asked, stroking his neck lightly.  
"Look behind you, there you will find your answers." Blyan chuckled, his voice so much like Bly's as he spoke and offered freely of his abilities.

Turning around and looking up at Kit, Aayla saw the matching green Draconis on his shoulders and compared her to the image Blyan had left in her mind. Sending a confirmation across their bond, Blyan settled comfortably around her shoulders, giving Aayla the peace she needed to sort out this new revelation.  
'You're starting to understand how complex life with Draconis can be, aren't you Aayla?' Kit asked, watching Lentiva out the corner of his eye.  
'I think so.' Aayla nodded, slowly reaching out to Kit's green lady. 'Hello Lentiva.'  
'With time, Aayla, you will find your feet again. Partnering a Draconis is an amazing experience, you will soon adjust to their ways.' Kit grinned, lightly tracing his fingers over Blyan's tail.  
'Blyan tells me Lentiva will be ready for another joining flight soon.' Aayla remarked, starting to find it easier to communicate with her partner.  
'Another couple of weeks and they'll go up again. You will know when it happens, Blyan will call for joy and we'll be led to see Lentiva's new nesting-brood.' Kit replied, used to the pair when it came to their nesting behaviour. 'Blyan's come to get me for every one so far, but until now he was known as Lentiva's mate or Blue.'  
'Will this affect our friendship?' Aayla asked, worried that having mated Draconis would cause problems for them.  
'No, we won't even know they've had their joining flight until it's all said and done. The Draconis are aware that not every life-mating is opportune for their partners so they shield such thoughts from us.' Kit replied, nuzzling Lentiva contentedly. 'Although in some cases, the Draconis seem to know about life-mates in the ranks.'

#~#~^~#~#

Entering the barracks where she'd been told there was an empty bunk, Barriss broke into a smile at the sight of Ahsoka, sitting on her bunk playing with her own Draconis partner. Looking up from their game, Ahsoka smiled and jumped down, wrapping Barriss up in a warm hug.  
'I'm glad you're safe Ahsoka.' Barriss smiled, returning the hug happily.  
'You'll be glad to know that Master Unduli made it through safely as well. She's in barracks 40 now.' Ahsoka nodded, drawing back slowly. 'This is Harisy, my Draconis partner.'  
'This is Pesonai, she's a truly wonderful friend.' Barriss replied, stroking the silver draped around her shoulders. 'And she was saying she rather likes Antar, whoever he is.'  
'Antar is Rex's Draconis partner. But Pesonai might have a fight for Antar, Harisy rather fancies him too.' Ahsoka chuckled, reaching for her boots. 'Would you like to go see Master Unduli?'

Putting her pack down on the empty bunk and changing into a clean outfit, Barriss welcomed Pesonai back onto her shoulders and followed Ahsoka through the maze of tunnels and rooms below the main homestead. Left, right, left, left and right again, Ahsoka flawlessly led them to another room, a single red stripe painted vertically down the door marking it as something special among all the other rooms.  
'Master Windu organised a temporary Jedi Council, picking the best twelve out of all the Jedi that have arrived. Master Unduli was chosen to step up when Master Allie requested to leave the Council.' Ahsoka explained, knocking softly on the door.  
'So who is on the Council now?' Barriss asked, trying to catch up with everything that had changed for the Jedi.  
'Masters Windu, Fisto, Koon, Tiin, Mundi, Unduli, Koth, Kolar, Ti, Gallia, Kcaj and Rancisis.' Ahsoka listed, shortening the listing as young Knights tended to do when they were alone.

Entering the room when they were bade, the young girls moved to the middle of the room and bowed, trying to stay with the old ways for as long as they could. It was strange to be running through the traditions of coming before the Council in a bunkroom but it was so good to be back around their fellow Jedi.  
'Welcome back, Knight Offee.' Master Windu greeted, drawing his attention away from the white Draconis on his shoulders. 'We are grateful to have another highly regarded Knight returned to our ranks.'  
'Thank you Master Windu. Jedi Knight Aayla Secura also made it back but I am uncertain where she is now. We were separated in the chaos outside.' Barriss replied, bowing again and soothing her Draconis. 'This is my Draconis partner, Pesonai. She bids greetings to the Council.'  
'I have seen Aayla, she is safe and settled into her barracks. The loss of Commander Bly has hit her hard, she feels she could have done more to ensure he made it to Alderaan.' Kit offered, reclining on his berth comfortably with his deep green Draconis.  
'The loss of Commander Bly is a blow to all who knew him. He was a good friend and a devoted officer. There is still hope he will find his way home but for now, he has chosen a different path.' Barriss agreed, dropping her gaze slowly. 'I sense it will be some time before the wounds of his loss fully heal.'

Gaze sweeping the room, Barriss finally settled her gaze on Luminara and smiled faintly, relieved to see her old Master was alive and looking reasonably healthy. She was sporting obvious bandages on her left arm and right thigh and the way she was resting indicated more hidden under her robes.  
'I am fine, Barriss. Between the medics, healers and Gerany here, my injuries have almost healed. It could have been much worse, had Commander Gree not reacted to deal with the threat. He is in good health but his morale is low after being forced to chose where he stood as the galaxy was torn apart. He is haunted by the choices he made, he killed four of his brothers to ensure the safety of those that wished to escape.' Luminara explained, butting heads with her deep green Draconis. 'Perhaps you can bring him comfort, he still sees you as a sibling.'  
'I will try, Master. We are all troubled by what has happened, I spoke with many on the way from Felucia and they are all deeply distressed by what has transpired.' Barriss nodded, thoughts turning to Gree for a moment.  
'Take some time to rest and get used to this new life we are forced to live. We hope to find out Emily's plans for all of us soon but for now, she is busy trying to get the arrivals settled and everything hidden away.' Windu directed, shifting a little but he always kept his right hand hidden from her.  
'Of course, Master.' Barriss replied, bowing deep again and backing out of the room.

Only once they were far enough from the chamber did Barriss look at Ahsoka with a question in her eyes but she wasn't quite sure how to ask about it. She felt like it was a disrespect to gossip but she had to know what happened.  
'Why was Master Windu hiding his hand like that? I don't remember him doing that before.' Barriss asked, stroking Pesonai lovingly as they walked.  
'He didn't used to, he's only started doing that since the day the galaxy was turned upside down. He was part of a team that went after Chancellor Palpatine with the idea of removing him from office. Fox and the Coruscant Guard got to the office in time to save Masters Fisto, Kolar and Tiin from harm. Master Windu proved harder to grab, it was only after the Emperor cornered him at the window that Stone was able to grab him and get him back to the hovering gunships. But not before the Emperor cut Master Windu's hand off.' Ahsoka explained, glancing back over her shoulder. 'No one talks about it, mostly out of respect for Master Windu.'  
'But I saw his lightsaber on his belt. Surely if the Emperor had done that, his lightsaber would have been lost.' Barriss continued, trying to make sense of it all.  
'Stone was able to grab the lightsaber as it fell past him. According to Master Fisto, it was a brilliant display of tactical long-lining with jetpacks.' Ahsoka shrugged, leading Barriss down another corridor. 'Stone recorded the effort, it's in the new archives if you'd like to see it.'  
'Lead the way, Ahsoka.' Barriss grinned, still listening to what Pesonai was telling her as they made their way through the corridors.

#~#~^~#~#

Slipping through the curtains that divided the command area from their sleeping area, Gree took a moment to look around, just to reassure his battle mind that everything was as it should be. They had a predictable order back here, everything had a place and nothing was left out. Six bunks, regulation width apart and made to proper standards. They even had a proper order to sleep and it had nothing to do with rank or experience. They slept in the same order as they'd come off the vatting rack, continuing their batch legacy as best they could.

Wolffe had been first out and so he got the first bunk, his place marked by a grey towel hanging beside his bed and his helmet on the shelf above his bed. Gree's bunk was next in line, his old stuffed dog tucked in beside his pillow and bucket on the shelf above. Bunk three was predictably empty, it was where Bly was supposed to be had he come home. Bunk five was also untouched, reserved for when Cody made it back to them. Fox had the last bunk in the row, his section pristine and up to regs as was his normal behaviour.

But right now, they were more concerned about bunk four and the man currently curled up there, second pillow clutched to his chest as he wept silently. To the untrained eye, he could have been sleeping but Gree saw the almost imperceptible twitching of Rex's shoulders. Padding across the room slowly, Gree sat beside Rex and lightly rubbed his arm, trying to offer comfort to his distressed brother. Rex tensed for a moment but soon relaxed again, curling up tighter and trying so hard to ignore Gree's presence.

Launching off Gree's shoulders, Lumasai landed on the bed and made her way down to where Antar was curled up behind Rex's knees, his lithe body tucked into the smallest ball possible. Chirring in an attempt to cheer him up, Lumasai curled up around Antar, working to coax him out of his tight ball to look at her.

Not willing to force Rex if he really didn't want to talk to anyone, Gree just sat there beside him, lightly stroking his arm and leaning over him. There was no pressure to speak, just the gentle presence of an understanding brother. Gree knew from experience that sometimes all that was needed was this silent offer of support and comfort, it just depended on the situation.

There it was. Rex stopped trying to hide it so much, the shake in his shoulders became more pronounced and the first soft sob was heard. Shifting closer, Gree let Rex knew he was there without breaking the spell over them with clumsy words. It hurt to see Rex in such a state, he'd always been so reliable and strong but the loss of Bly to the other side had hit him where it hurt the most. Matters of the heart were still a mystery to Gree, he'd never had someone that he loved as more than a brother but he'd seen how happy some of the brothers were when they were safe in the arms of their lovers.

Rex was getting louder, still trying to be quiet but it was a losing battle for him. Now Gree moved, gently rolling Rex over and guiding him up to sit properly. Moving onto the bunk properly, Gree bundled Rex into his lap and held him tight, welcoming Rex to muffle his agony in his chest. Rex took full advantage of this new position, giving up on his attempts to be quiet as it all came pouring out.

Rocking slowly as he listened to the agonized tirade, Gree warned their brothers to stay out with a faint headshake. Rex had always been such a private man, hiding everything from everyone so he always looked like a perfect officer. He wouldn't want anyone else to see him come flying apart so badly.

Gree lost all track of time as he sat there, idly running his fingers through Rex's hair and rocking slowly, giving Rex the time he needed to mourn for the lost and find his inner calm again. They all needed moments like this, when they could be the younger sibling but it so rarely happened for them, they were always the eldest siblings.

Eventually Rex calmed again, sniffling pathetically as he sat there. Reaching for his towel without letting go of Rex, Gree tipped Rex's chin up and wiped his face, easily filing the older brother role for him. Rex seemed to appreciate the effort, curling in against Gree and letting him do what needed to be done.  
'Feel better now?' Gree asked, throwing his towel onto the bed and going back to holding Rex against his chest.  
'A little. It still hurts to know he chose the other side.' Rex nodded, relaxing into the freely given comfort of his brother.  
'I spoke with Champion earlier, he was saying that Bly's choice wasn't completely for selfish reasons. He went so he could protect those that forgot buir. He knew some that stayed only stayed because it wasn't safe for them to run. Bly wanted to give them an option.' Gree offered, squeezing gently when Rex tensed. 'We all considered it, he was the only one with the courage to do what we'd all thought about.'  
'I guess I'd just hoped that he'd come home.' Rex sighed, the pain easing a little as he sat there.  
'There's still a chance that he'll get here, once he's done what he set out to do.' Gree nodded, relaxing his grip slowly. 'Ready to face the world again?'  
'Not right now, I need a few minutes.' Rex uttered, sagging into Gree again and closing his eyes.  
'Take all the time you need, I'm here brother.' Gree soothed, peace settling over them as they relaxed and enjoyed the closeness.


	32. The Next Generation

In among all the chaos of arriving GAR personnel, Emily spotted a ship veering away from the course it had been given. Trusting in the rest of the team to handle the situation with the arriving troops, she turned and ran to meet the other ship, wondering why it had so clearly gone against orders. Instead of joining the ranks of ships waiting to be dealt with, it had gone for the empty landing pad to the east.

Weaving through the gathering of people all around the compound, she reached the base of the ramp just as three familiar faces made their way down, two carrying tiny babies in their arms. Now they had a real chance to defeat the Empire, with Yoda and Obi-Wan back in the ranks. Senator Organa was an added bonus; he'd always been a strong supporter of their cause.  
'You took a big risk not staying in line. We're trying to hide the strength we have, not advertise it with senatorial ships in clear sight. That said, we're glad to have you here.' Emily smiled, joining the group in the shelter of the ship.  
'We can't stay Emily, there is still business for us out in the wider galaxy. We came to ask if you can help hide these two from their father.' Obi-Wan replied, indicating the child he was holding.  
'I can only assume you have a damned good reason for asking me to hide a couple of newborns.' Emily remarked, accepting the child from Obi-Wan.  
'These are Anakin's children. I knew he was going against the Code but I never expected he would father twins with Senator Amidala.' Obi-Wan confirmed, glancing at Senator Organa.  
'Padmé died in childbirth, her body was delivered to Naboo for a proper funeral. But now, we have to hide these two innocents.' Senator Organa added, looking down at the little one in his arms. 'She named the boy Luke and the girl Leia.'

Looking down at the baby in her arms, Emily sighed and glanced back over her shoulder at the men milling about, getting organised to start making lunch and welcoming the newest arrivals into the organised insanity that was the homestead now.  
'To be honest, I'm surprised the Emperor hasn't already sent his forces against us. Best estimate, 60 per cent of the old GAR have come home, bringing with them all the military hardware they could and rescuing every Jedi that they were near. The twins won't be safe here, not with so many other people.' Emily sighed, shaking her head slowly.  
'How many Jedi have you saved?' Obi-Wan asked, looking around behind Emily.  
'Going off the personnel lists, I'd say about 90% of the Order is here. There are still a few stragglers but there's not much we can do.' Emily shrugged, noticing the way Gystar was acting towards the twins. 'What is it Gystar?'  
"We can help, I know we can. We don't have to keep the twins here, but we can give them our help to survive." Gystar explained, flashing Emily a picture of one of the nesting niches in the brooding hut beside the main house.

Suppressing a groan when two Draconis raced onto the scene and quickly partnered Obi-Wan and Yoda, Emily knew it wasn't going to be easy to explain everything. She was surprised when it turned out that she didn't need to explain anything, Obi-Wan and Yoda seemed to instinctively know how to handle being approached by a Draconis for partnership.  
'Hid this well, you did.' Yoda remarked, looking up at Emily as he got to know the green standing beside him. 'Jesami, good partners we will be.'  
'The Draconis are supposed to be extinct.' Obi-Wan mused, nuzzling the yellow draped around his shoulders. 'I think we'll get along just fine Jecani, my boy.'  
'This is why you can't sense any other Jedi here, the Draconis hide their partners from the Force. No one knows quite how but it works.' Emily grinned, watching the new partnerships closely.  
'Are they only attracted to Jedi?' Senator Organa asked, wondering why he had no offers from the Draconis. 'Or is there some other reason why I wasn't chosen.'  
'It's possible the right partner for you hasn't been hatched yet. Or it could be as simple as the fact they know you're not part of the rebuilding GAR. They seem to know the difference between those that are part of our grand hopes for the galaxy and those that aren't.' Emily shrugged, eyes flicking to Gystar again. 'Gystar here tells me that you are worthy but not part of the future of the galaxy. Only those with a task leading back to full peace are partnered at this time.'  
'Oh, I see.' Bail nodded, stung by the rejection but it made good sense.  
'Come, the least we can do is share our table with you before you disappear back into the wider galaxy.' Emily offered, adjusting her hold on baby Luke and ushering the group to follow her back towards the main section of the compound.

#~#~^~#~#

Taking up a corner of one of the underground dining halls, Emily hung back and turned her full attention to the twins, allowing their temporary guests a chance to relax. It didn't last long though. Within minutes of their arrival, word had spread like wildfire through the ranks. Everyone was talking about them, guessing the parentage of the children and wondering what their arrival would mean for their future. But so far, they'd been given a wide berth, everyone keeping back to let the guests settle.  
'Any second now.' Emily uttered, drawing a curious look from Organa but he said nothing.

Sure enough, the door slid open and the temporary Jedi Council entered, heading straight for their table. Gathering near the table, they went down to their knees as one, their relief palatable. Eyes scanning the group slowly, Emily quickly hid her smile. For the first time since he'd been fitted with his prosthetic hand, Windu was actually showing the replacement.  
'Stay, we cannot. Elsewhere, we are needed.' Yoda offered, stroking Jesami lightly.  
'At least tell us what we should do next. We are lost, nothing feels right.' Adi Gallia requested, fear showing in her gaze for a moment.  
'In Emily, your trust must be. Guide you, she will.' Yoda nodded, turning to Emily.  
'Of course, Master Yoda.' Emily replied, bowing her head slowly. 'We have a rough plan scratched out but there has been no time to refine it. Once things settle down and there is time, the plans will be refined, the Army readied and we will strike back against the Empire. Now is not the time, we all must be patient until that time.'  
'It is hard to be patient when we don't know what even the most basic plan is.' Kit remarked, his attention solely on Emily for now.  
'I would think that obvious. Our final goals - retake Coruscant and reclaim this galaxy for the Republic. Along the way, we will liberate as many planets as possible but our final objective will always be Coruscant.' Emily shrugged, resettling the twins and continuing to feed them.

Watching the twins and listening to what Gystar was telling her, Emily started to feel more positive about the plan she was suggesting. It was a long shot and depended a lot on whoever ended up caring for the twins as they grew. But if everything came together and worked as Gystar said it would, then Luke and Leia would grow up with their ideal Draconis partners. Once the eggs were tucked in near the children, no one could be sure of the outcome. They could only hope and pray it all worked out as it was meant to.

Lifting her gaze when Obi-Wan chuckled, Emily rolled her eyes and adjusted the twins again, the very picture of maternal devotion as she proper the pair up against her chest and burped them both at once.  
'Don't start Obi-Wan, I've had more practise at this than a woman my age should have. Twins is easy, I've had to deal with six babies at once, now that's a challenge.' Emily sighed, gaze going back to the twins. 'That's it Luke, I'll bet you feel better now.'  
'Has Cody made it through yet?' Obi-Wan asked, worried for his old friend and hoping he was safe. 'I promised I'd try and see him again before I was pulled away.'  
'I'm not sure, Obi-Wan. We were in the process of unloading another group when you lot turned up. Signs are good, this latest group is 212th.' Emily replied, turning slightly on the bench to offer out the datapad attached to her belt. 'Check the master list, that'll tell you for sure.'

Unhooking the datapad and clicking it on, Obi-Wan was stunned by the sheer numbers he was seeing on the screen. Finding the search function, he checked the massed lists to see if Cody's name or number popped up anywhere. It only took a few seconds before the device beeped and Cody's profile came up.  
'Sounds like you found him.' Emily remarked, easing Luke off her shoulder and settling him back in the cradle of her left arm.  
'I can't make sense of this profile. It's not like we used.' Obi-Wan sighed, holding out the 'pad for Emily to take a look at.  
'Yeah, we streamlined the assignment profiles a bit more.' Emily grinned, returning her attention to the twins. 'He registered his presence 90 minutes ago, no injuries to report and has been settled into the command tent. Bunk five, stationed between Rex and Fox.'  
'You hardly even looked at the profile.' Obi-Wan challenged, amazed that Emily could do that.  
'Only needed to see those four little markings at the top. The first is a time block, it changes every hour and has a secondary marking to represent the half hours. Second is injury status, the sharper the point around the central circle, the more serious the injuries. That third mark is his accommodation assignment, the six pointed star represents the command tent. And that last mark indicated his bunk number, five dots is bunk five.' Emily explained, leaning over a little so Obi-Wan could return the datapad to her belt. 'As for knowing who is in bunks four and six, that's all about being their mother.'  
'And what does that have to do with anything?' Bail asked, trying to ignore the Jedi talking at the end of the table.  
'Because I know that whenever the senior six are together, they sleep in the same order every time. Wolffe, Gree, Bly, Rex, Cody and Fox. Even with Bly MIA, the order stands and there's an empty bunk kept where Bly belongs.' Emily listed, guiding Leia back down into the cradle of her right arm and smiling fondly at the pair. 'Hopefully these two will be able to grow up and inherit a peaceful galaxy.'

#~#~^~#~#

Watching his new Draconis partner flying with those that had partnered his batch-brothers, Cody smiled and drew Rex closer in against his side. Rex was still a little down but he was coming back, if Gree's whispered briefing was anything to go by.  
'I'm glad you're here Cody.' Rex uttered, gaze following silver and pale orange in the sky. 'I don't think I could handle losing another batch-brother. Not this soon after Bly.'  
'You're not going to lose me, Rex.' Cody promised, squeezing Rex's shoulders for a moment. 'I'm here for the long haul, whatever happens.'  
'You could have been the one.' Rex admitted, tearing his gaze away from their partners to look at Cody. 'But when I heard you gave Punch and Sketch punishment detail for making out, I figured you weren't that kind of man.'  
'You only got half the story Rex. Yeah, I reprimanded them for making out but that wasn't the problem. The fact they decided it was a good idea to make out against the briefing table got them into trouble.' Cody nodded, a little stunned by Rex's admission. 'I was jealous of you Rex, I've never had the sort of connection that you had with Bly. I wanted a taste of what you had, just to know what it was like.'

Stunned into silence when Rex reached up to tangle their fingers together over his shoulder, Cody had no idea what he'd just stepped into. Rex didn't seem interested in going for more than this and they'd done it before, when one had been kicked around once too many. But with Rex so shaky after losing Bly, Cody was worried that a simple moment holding hands would get very complicated quickly.  
'I'm not looking to replace Bly, not yet. I still hope he'll make it home but I need something…I need to know I matter to someone.' Rex uttered, lifting his eyes to the flying Draconis again.  
'You'll always matter to me, Rex, that'll never change. But I don't want you to feel pressured into anything.' Cody replied, squeezing Rex's fingers to get his point across. 'I can't replace Bly, I won't even try. I just want you to be careful, he'll come home one day and I don't want to be the reason you two split up.'  
'You won't be Cody, I promise. Bly knows about what I felt for you, we talked it over one night when I couldn't sleep.' Rex replied, dark eyes closing slowly. 'I'm not asking for much, just this. Just be there when I need someone to lean on and trust me to hold you up when you stumble.'

Thinking over Rex's words, Cody nodded slowly and looked up, sending out a question to his Draconis. Her response came back quickly, showing Cody the best way to handle the situation. It was sill a tough situation to get into but Cody felt no reason to fear it, he could handle the limits Rex was putting on him. It was a taste of love, the kind of love he'd wanted to know about. All he had to do was remember to keep his distance so when Bly made it through, he could step back and let the old lovers pick up again.  
'This is can do, Rex. Whatever you need of me, I'm here.' Cody nodded, adjusting the way he was absently holding Rex. 'Owinsai seems rather fond of Antar.'  
'Antar was just saying how much he admired Owinsai.' Rex chuckled, enjoying the peace and revelling in the constant voice in his mind. 'He says she's almost ready to mate.'  
'She's considering it but with the population what it is, she's hesitating.' Cody grinned, wondering if their Draconis would become life-mates.

Attention caught by the arrival of a brilliant yellow Draconis near Antar and Owinsai, Cody and Rex couldn't believe what they were seeing as Antar turned on the yellow, calling angrily and racing at the yellow with his claws aimed forward. Owinsai hung back, watching the pair engage in a fast-paced fight. Zipping through the air, Antar chased the yellow around the main house and down low to the ground, refusing to allow the yellow anywhere near Owinsai.

So caught up in the aerial fight, neither man noticed they had company until someone clapped their hands sharply. Jumping in surprise, Cody and Rex pulled their gaze off the fight and quickly snapped to attention, schooling their faces to hide the shock of seeing Obi-Wan again and seeing Emily with two babies in her arms.  
'I don't suppose either of you is partnered with that silver giving Jecani such a hard time?' Obi-Wan asked, ducking as the battling pair raced low over their heads.  
'That'd be me, Sir.' Rex nodded, flushing faintly as he looking up again.  
'Sir, apparently Jecani started trying to court Owinsai and Antar took offense at it. It would seem Antar has staked his claim on her.' Cody added, hitting the deck as the combatants swooped low over their heads again.  
'Antar! Leave him be!' Rex called, holding out his arm to his silver.  
'Jecani! Down here!' Obi-Wan added, waiting for his bright Draconis to come down.  
'Come on Owinsai, I'll protect your honour.' Cody grinned, welcoming her down to rest.

Gliding down gracefully, Owinsai landed lightly on Cody's offered arm and picked her way up onto his shoulders. But rather that curl up there, she delicately picked her way down his back and curled past his right hip before coming back up and huddling against his chest, feet spread out for purchase. Smiling fondly at her, Cody wrapped one arm around her back and held her close, rather enjoying the affectionate cuddle.

Bleeding off speed quickly, Antar came around and landed on Rex's arm, coming up onto his shoulders as requested. But he didn't bother curling up either. Instead he set his back feet on Rex's shoulders and reared up, front feet resting on top of Rex's head. Wings spread and tail wrapped loosely around Rex's shoulders, Antar growled and hissed, clearly still not happy.

A little unstable now, Jecani came down on Obi-Wan's arm heavily, his brilliant yellow scales marred with glistening red blood. Looking up at Antar for a moment, Jecani scrambled down Obi-Wan's chest and burrowed into his robe, held safely by his partner as he licked his wounds and recovered from an unexpected confrontation.

No one seemed to know quite what to say as their Draconis relaxed and settled in their places, everyone seemingly over the excitement. Owinsai started purring softly, eyes closed as she tucked her head under Cody's chin. Antar stopped growling and hissing, head resting on his front paws contentedly. Jecani finished cleaning his wounds and settled, head resting on Obi-Wan's hand lightly.  
'Sorry about that, Sir. I didn't expect Antar to go aggressive like that.' Rex offered, dropping his gaze respectfully.  
'Enough with the Sir, both of you. It's over, we survived and that's what matters.' Obi-Wan corrected, adjusting his hold on Jecani. 'You should have known better than to try and court a mate when it was clear she was already being courted, Jecani.'  
'So you finished that other thing you were talking about?' Cody asked, training the only thing keeping him from reacting to the tail worming under his belt. 'Owinsai, what are you…oh, well alright then. A little warning next time.'  
'Not yet, Cody. We came here to ask for Emily's help but she's already got her plate full so we'll hide these twins as best we can without her help.' Obi-Wan sighed, glancing over to make sure the twins were safe.  
'They're Skywalker's aren't they?' Rex asked, hugging his chest unconsciously.  
'Don't worry Rex. Where these two are going, it'll be a long time before we have to confront what that name means to us.' Emily soothed, deftly handing one to Senator Organa and bringing the other closer to her chest.

#~#~^~#~#

Cradling Luke to her chest lightly, Emily was aware of Obi-Wan, Yoda and Senator Organa all staring at her as she stepped into the building. It hardly looked solid, the walls were full of gaps and the door was covered by a light piece of cloth but it was exactly as the Draconis had requested it to be.

Ignoring the group standing behind her, Emily followed Gystar's guidance towards one of the occupied nests. It was up high, just out of her reach but the building had been specifically constructed with ledges and stairs inside so partners could come to visit their nesting-mothers.

Picking her way up three flights of stairs and stepping onto one of the ledges, Emily stopped in front of one specific nest. Inside, Tumissa sat on her eggs, twenty silvery white eggs barely covered by her bulk. Beside her, Domada watched Emily curiously, attentive to the needs of his mate and protective of their eggs. Reaching under her left wing, Tumissa worked one of the eggs out from under her. Moving forward, Domada used his tail to pick up the chosen egg and present it to Emily with all the dignity he had. Picking up the egg respectfully, Emily gingerly tucked it into Luke's blanket, settling it safely on his chest where the unhatched Draconis would best be able to pick up on his growing abilities.  
'Thank you Tumissa and Domada. Your gift will not be forgotten.' Emily uttered, making her way back to the waiting group.

Carefully handing Luke back to Obi-Wan and making sure the egg was safe, Emily accepted Leia and turned back to the nests. This time Gystar pointed her to a low nest, tucked in between her own empty nest and Petani's empty nest. Getting down on one knee, Emily peered into the indicated nest and smiled at the sight of Lentiva protecting her own silvery white eggs. Blyan was in there too, a single egg cradled in the coils of his tail. Reaching in slowly, Emily accepted the egg from Blyan, cradling it lightly in her battle calloused hand and bringing it out to Leia.  
'Thank you Lentiva and Blyan. Your gift will not be forgotten.' Emily nodded, tucking the egg safely in with Leia and leaving the parents to the rest of their brood.

Passing Leia back into the arms of her adoptive father, Emily ushered the group outside again, letting the grey cloth fall off her shoulder as she left the building. Heading back towards their ship, Bail proved to be an attentive father for Leia, always making sure she was protected and keeping her egg tucked in with her safely. Obi-Wan wasn't quite so comfortable with it but he was getting used to it.  
'Everything you need to know about caring for Draconis is on these datacards. Read them at your leisure. Obi-Wan, I'm giving you a spare one to pass onto Luke's guardian, whoever they are. They will need to know what to do and how to tend for the growing Draconis. As child and Draconis grow together, they will become inseparable. Both must be loved equally by the families.' Emily guided, handing around the customised datachips. Instead of just being a small chip, these ones were secured in small cages with an attached wrist strap, making it easy to hand them around while two recipients had their hands full with infants.

But now they had a new problem to deal with. Somewhere along the way, the Draconis had decided that the best way to hide the senatorial ship sitting on the lawn was simply to land on it, obscuring the lines and colours beneath a riot of colour and noise.  
'Well, this could cause a problem.' Bail remarked, looking up at the tightly packed Draconis all over his ship.  
'Nah, this is easy to handle.' Emily replied, extending her right arm. 'Gystar, would you kindly get everyone off the ship so the Senator and his companions can leave.'  
"Of course Emily." Gystar nodded, launching skyward and racing over the ship.

Calling to her friends and family, Gystar convinced them all to leave the ship with a great flapping of wings, a rainbow exploded over their heads. Winging away to find their partners, the Draconis flock dispersed as Gystar returned to Emily's shoulders.  
'There you go Senator. There might be a few scratches on the finish but nothing to really worry about.' Emily grinned, nuzzling Gystar happily.  
'Once all of this is dealt with, I will see that it is given a fresh coat of pain.' Senator Organa nodded, heading for the ramp. 'Thank you for all your help, Emily.'  
'It's the least we can do.' Emily replied, hiding her plans from the trio so they couldn't interfere with what had to be done. 'Be safe and may the Force be with you.'


	33. Preparing For War

With the senatorial ship gone and everyone else settled into their temporary accommodation, the parental team gathered in Emily's office, going over their pre-war preparations. Staying on Alderaan was too dangerous, the Empire knew all about their home base here so they would have to move. But packing up their entire organisation and moving to another world was a massive ask. It wasn't just the military operation that would need to be moved but the original civilian operation as well.

With an impressive 60 cruisers in their fleet, plus the Washington and close to 200 support ships, they had a strong Navy and their sons would pull together to make for a powerful Army. The Jedi were an unknown factor, no one could be sure how they would react to the shake up. The non-clone personnel were a sure bet, they'd fall back into their old positions but only time would tell what the Jedi would do.

Armed with the weight limits of each ship and the most up to date weights of everything that had to be transported, they settled down to the hard work of sorting out what to put where and how to balance all the loads for take off and landing. If they got it wrong, the ships could crash on take off or become uncontrollable during the landings so they had to be certain.

Trading by weights, they passed datachips back and forth, figuring out the right loads for each ship in their fleets. Trading the dairy herd for star fighters. AT-TE's for medical supplies. Musical instruments for crates from the Jedi Temple. Everything was up for trade until each ship was locked in to a particular load out.

They were always careful to leave enough on each ship to allow for a full crew onboard. They were all so very grateful for the incredible weight capabilities of the Washington. Without the huge lifting capacity there, several items would have to have been cut. But by taking advantage of the smaller ships that had come with the cruisers, they were able to get in all of their essentials and the wish lists of all the personnel.

With their loading schedule settled and locked in for every ship, the real hard work could begin. Everything on the lists had to be gathered up and loaded onto the fleet. Every with so many hands to the task, it would take days to get everything organised and loaded as per the loading guides for each ship. Of course, that depended on how the stock behaved. If they didn't want to get onto the ships, it was going to be even longer before they could flee Alderaan and swing their combat plans into action.

Trooping back out of the house, they put out the general alert, calling their thousands of sons and friends to a gathering on the back lawns. Spreading out, the parental team each took responsibility for one section of the massive loading job, scattering the tasks to make it seem like less of a huge chore.

Briefings given and loading plans shared, the massed force scattered to their duties, heading to start stripping the compound of everything on the lists. The worse part would always be the long treks to the mountain hangers, burdened with supplies. The pilots got off easily, sent to fetch their gunships and bring them to the back lawn for ease of loading before they were returned to the ships where they had to be to make the loading work.

Every possible storage space was used; crates packed into the walkers and cargo spaces in the fighters, even stacked on the seats of the ships not being used for transporting the larger loads to their locations on the various ships. Storerooms, empty bunkrooms, secondary hangers and unneeded briefing rooms were all used, gear packed into every possible space and carefully balanced to make sure there were no problems.

#~#~^~#~#

True to the estimations, it took a week to get the compound stripped to almost nothing and everything loaded properly onto the ships. Now they had just one more job to do before they could leave Alderaan behind. The stock had been brought down from their paddocks and sorted into holding pens on the plains just near the hangers. Shane's best 50 horsemen were at the ready, their horses tacked up and prepared for their last duty before being secured in the stables that had been temporarily installed in the hangers of the Resolute.

With final checks done, the signal went up to begin loading the stock. Now it was in Shane's hands to get every animal loaded with the least amount of stress for them. Making the choice, he called for the running yards to be set up between the eopie pens and the Miami, knowing that the eopies were the calmest of the lot that would need to be loaded.

Extra hands lined the running yards, ready to jump in if the portable sections of heavy steel fencing gave way. Receiving the signal that everyone was in place, Shane opened the gates and the herding process began. Shouting and whistling to get the large herd moving, the stockmen swung their whips and got their horses moving, forcing the eopies through the running yards and up into the waiting cruiser.

With the eopies secured in their pens and under the watch of a group of junior stockmen, the running yards were moved and lengthened to connect with the Philadelphia and the pen holding the dairy herd. Receiving confirmation, the team set to work again, pushing the herd but not asking them to rush too much.

A second, smaller set of running yards ran onto the Negotiator and a team of junior stockmen, led by Waxer and his palomino Numa, swung into action to get the dairy calves onboard and secure. Working the calves was somewhat easier than the cows but it was still a challenge to keep up with the fleet footed little ones. They had a few bolters but with quick thinking, fast hands and training, they were able to round up the breakaways and get them back with the herd.

With the next change in the running yards, two lines became four. The bulls were going onto the Negotiator, the dry cows onto the Houston and the cows with calves at foot were to be divided between the Sacramento and the Chicago. It was a complex system and the cattle needed to be counted to be sure of balance but Shane was confident his team could handle the confusion.

First the bulls were gathered from their side pen and run along the main stretch of the running yards before the men on the gates inside the hanger guided them towards the Negotiator. Then the dry cows were pulled out of their side pen and run along the same line before being sent towards their transport pens.

Now came the really fun part. The main part of the herd had been kept as one group, meaning they would have to sort on the fly. Calling directions to his stockmen, the work began. Horses danced and wheeled as the riders worked to cut the herd neatly in two, always watching to make sure the calves were kept with their mothers. Standing by the gate into the running yards, Shane kept a sharp count on what was going up the lane towards the hangers and called for a blocking force when the numbers match what he'd figured was suitable.

Walking his horse Ranger through the second half of the herd, Tup came across a surprising sight. One of the mothers had dropped triplets and was overworked trying to keep them all fed and healthy. Talking to her softly, he dismounted and patted her flank, checking over her triplets. Gently picking up the smallest one, a little bull calf, he set it on the back of his saddle and gently tied it down before mounting up and scanning the herd.  
'Need another strong mother, Tup?' Echo asked, noticing Tup with his passenger.  
'Yeah, just found one poor mum trying to handle triplets.' Tup nodded, pointing back to where the exhausted mother was now munching grass as her remaining two fed.  
'Bring it over here Tup, got a perfect candidate.' Cutup called, waving to catch Tup's full attention. 'Noticed last night that her calf died but it's not from lack of milk. She's producing more than enough.'

Guiding Ranger through the herd again, Tup dismounted beside the distressed mother and lifted down the extra calf. Leaning over in his saddle, Cutup handed him a sealed bag containing a dirty towel. Holding the calf between his legs, Tup ripped the bag open and pulled out the towel, rubbing it briskly all over the calf he'd picked out. Satisfied with the rubdown, Tup gently guided the calf towards his new mother. Sniffing him carefully, she accepted him quickly, standing still so he could get a proper drink.

Tossing the towel back in the bag, Tup swung back into the saddle, smiling softly at the sight of mother and new replacement calf bonding happily. Turning Ranger again, he went back to the busy mother and checked her other two calves closely, more to satisfy his own curiosity than for any real purpose. They would all be yarded when they arrived at their new home, marked, vaccinated and the boys would be de-sexed as was normal. He'd made the right call, leaving her with a heifer and a bull calf to handle.

Heads coming up at the call from Shane, the stockmen got back to work, gathering up the second half of the herd and pushing them towards the running yards and the hanger beyond. Behind them, the rest of the workforce started dismantling the holding pens, always staying one gate behind the stockmen as the pieces were loaded onto the last five gunships waiting to be loaded onto the Washington.

Switching from mounted stockmen to those on foot once the last of the cattle were onboard the Chicago, the men on horseback turned their mounts towards the Resolute and their temporary stables. Weaving along the walkways and raised bridges, the riders had to be careful; one slip would likely mean death for horse and man alike.

Four berths over, they filed off the raised walkways and headed for the port ramp, calming their horses and keeping them from bolting as their shoes made a racket against the heavy steel plating of the ramp. Some didn't want to go up the ramp but with gentle persuasion and a firm command from their riders, the 50 horses went up into the warship.

Bringing up the rear of the group, chosen as Shane's top stockman, Tup made his way towards the ramp, right hand on Ranger's reins and left holding Libby's lead rope. Following Tup's guidance, the pair headed up the ramp without a fuss, completing the animal loading. Letting Ranger relax a little more now, Tup guided him towards the hangers and smiled as Domada returned to his shoulders, curling up and relaxing like nothing was out of the ordinary.

Entering the hanger, Tup handed Libby off to Jester and turned Ranger for his stable, listening to the happy voices of his brothers as they tended to their mounts and settled them in for the journey. Dismounting smoothly, Tup tied Ranger to the hitching post that had been set up and rubbed his nose lightly, giving Ranger a moment to rest before untacking and securing him.  
'Do you think I could ever learn to ride like you do, Tup?' Master Fisto asked, wandering towards them. 'I was watching the stockmen work, it's quite impressive.'  
'One day, I don't see why not.' Tup replied, feeding Ranger a fresh apple as a reward. 'But have you ever even gotten into the saddle before?'  
'Uh, no. This is far beyond anything I've done before.' Kit admitted, lightly rubbing Ranger's side as he spoke.  
'There's the first challenge. You've gotta know how to ride standard before you can learn to work the stock.' Tup grinned, checking the cargo crates that had been left beside Ranger's stall. 'If you really wanna learn, you can help me untack and wash Ranger here.'  
'Where do I start?' Kit asked, rolling up his sleeves and coming around to stand beside Tup.

Watching from a distance, Aayla smiled at the sight of Kit learning to untack a horse and pack their gear away neatly. They were total contrasts in appearance, Kit's standard Jedi robes beside Tup's much more relaxed riding gear. Talking quietly as they worked, Tup guided Kit through the basics of untacking a horse before they led him over to the wash bay in the corner of the hold. Drawing the curtains around the stand, they got to work, hosing Ranger off and making sure he was in good health after his work.

#~#~^~#~#

Launching in a precise order to present the most dangerous ships first just in case the Empire was waiting, the massed fleet took to the skies again, led by six waves of cruisers, then the Washington and then all the smaller vessels joined the fleet. The Washington was the central glory of their fleet so no one had any complaints when Emily took command of it and the fleet that had been assigned to fly with the super-cruiser.

One final ID check to make sure everyone was up and in position and the fleet launched into hyperspace to begin their rise back into glory. It was a calculated risk to move their operation to another world. It put another planet in the danger zone but they had chosen a planet that no one would suspect of harbouring the remnants of the Alderaan Clone Rest Facility once the fleet disappeared into the vastness of space.

Their chosen planet was far beyond any areas that the Empire would be interested in, deep in the outer rim and well outside the normal hyperspace routes. It wouldn't be much of a challenge to kick the Trade Union out; they weren't much of a threat. They could only hope the Empire was too busy building up to take a run at Saleucami before everything was set up and Saleucami became a fortress for good.

With so many hands to the job, it wouldn't take long to erect the secret supplies Emily had gotten her hands on, now stored onboard the Seattle. No one knew where she'd gotten the heavy grade military hardware and she wasn't telling either. All they knew for sure is they were carrying enough military hardware to make Saleucami a very bad place for the Empire.

Keeping a military presence on Saleucami would help as well, just enough to show a presence to the people that the GAR was there and making a stand for justice and peace. They would be there to quell any trouble and make nice with the people now sharing their world with a clone rest facility and all the baggage that came with it.

#~#~^~#~#

Standing on the bridge of the Resolute, Rufus couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he thought about the combat they were going to face. He'd always been a decent soldier and an amazing pilot but he'd been worried that his skills were getting rusty with all the soft living. There had been chances to test his abilities against his friends but no one could be sure how they'd go until they faced combat.

They had all been working to teach different sections of the massed Army new skills, sharing what they knew and helping their sons develop more individualised attitudes towards combat. Rufus had been given the task of training pilots, no easy task when he barely fitted into the cockpits of their ships but he made it work, modifying extras of every fighter type to suit his larger frame.

Shaking his head to clear the thoughts of upcoming combat, Rufus refocused on the here and now, going over the unloading process and making sure he knew where the Resolute would need to land to be in the most useful position.  
'Something troubling you, Rufus?' Admiral Yularen asked, turning away from the vista before them and looking up at him.  
'Nothing really, Wullf.' Rufus shrugged, resting one hand on his shoulder. 'Just thinking about the storm we're going to stir up in the galaxy.'  
'Surely it can't be as bad as the Clone Wars.' Wullf remarked, rather enjoying the more relaxed presence of Rufus on his bridge.  
'It'll probably be worse. At least during the Clone Wars, it was easy to tell the difference between friend and foe. This time around, it's going to be harder. The Empire has Venator class cruisers as well and still has clones in the ranks. We're going up against people we knew, there's no getting around that fact.' Rufus warned, turning his attention to the forward viewscreens again.  
'You really know how to make it seem like an impossible task, don't you?' Wullf asked, shaking his head slowly. 'The idea of fighting again, it doesn't seem real.'  
'I'm a realist, Wullf. I've been where the boys are now, fighting for peace and freedom. Not on a galactic scale but the feeling is the same. I'd rather not have to fight again but we have to stand up against the Empire. If we don't do it, who will?' Rufus shrugged, letting his hand fall. 'Have faith, we will win this war. There is too much at stake for us to fail.'

Hearing one of the boys coming up behind him, Rufus nodded faintly and closed his eyes for a moment, focusing only on what was important. Battle plans and tactics could wait, first they had to get the rest facility set up and secure. Only then could they consider targets and combat strategies. They had a lot to do and only so many ships and troops available so concessions would have to be made along the way.  
'Having second thoughts, Rex?' Rufus asked, still looking forward but he knew.  
'Not sure I even had first thoughts about this, buir.' Rex replied, adjusting the way his helmet was tucked under his arm. 'A lot of the boys are nervy but they'll soon get their heads on straight.'  
'That's only to be expected, Rex. They weren't expecting to be called back to combat just two months after they fled Imperial grasp.' Rufus nodded, turning to face Rex. 'What about the Jedi? How are they adjusting to all of this?'  
'They're not happy about losing their lofty positions but I think they're starting to accept the fact they aren't in charge anymore. Some don't care so much but for the most, they don't like it.' Rex offered, thinking about the things he'd overheard while doing his rounds.  
'So basically everything is going pretty much as Emily suspected it would. The Jedi aren't happy, the boys are nervous and the rest of the personnel are trying to do the best they can with an unfamiliar situation. I guess we're going to have to set some new ground rules in place.' Rufus sighed, reaching back to draw Rex in against his side. 'How about you? Settling in okay?'  
'Yeah, I'm okay buir. Hurts a bit still but I'm ready for this.' Rex nodded, allowing his youth to show for a few moments. 'Do you think we'll ever find him?'  
'Of course we will. I know you're worried about him but I need you focused on what has to be done. We'll get Bly back when we have a chance but first there are other things to do.' Rufus soothed, guiding Rex back to the track he needed to walk now.  
'I know buir. I am focused; just tell me what has to be done first.' Rex grinned, looking up at Rufus in readiness for new orders.  
'For now, take the time to prepare for war. Find out where Cut ended up and get one of your batch-brothers to make sure he's up to standard. Go back over your reports and get everything fresh in your mind. Once the Saleucami base is finished, we'll be straight into the action so I'm going to need you up to standard.' Rufus directed, finding it so easy to be affectionate and still commanding with his sons.  
'Elek buir.' Rex smiled, hugging Rufus for a moment before slipping away and leaving the bridge at a light jog. 'You coming Ahsoka?'  
'Right behind you Rex.' Ahsoka replied, flashing Rufus a smile before she too left the bridge.  
'To be young and eager again.' Rufus uttered, shaking his head in wonder as he smiled.

#~#~^~#~#

Cracking the proverbial whip, Fox kept his full focus on the training program he was running in the aft gym onboard the Miami. He was running a small group, just seven brothers that needed a hard refresher course on proper military behaviour. Four were in the group after extended time away from the battlefields due to serious injuries. The other three were special cases - put into the program after failing multiple tests on Alderaan. Dogma was in the group, denied after flunking basic fitness twice and a medical hold due to muscle damage. Slick had been deemed mentally capable to train again after putting in the hard work with his parents to master the basics. Cut had been a late addition but after just a few minutes, it was clear how badly he needed the specialised attention.

Fox had decided to start them off lightly, with a simple full sprint obstacle course he'd set up with help from his command team. Five of the seven managed reasonable times in full armour but Cut, he lagged behind from the start and Slick, well he just wasn't focusing on the job at hand. Sending the other five to work at the punching bags in the corner, Fox called the lagging pair before him and removed his helmet.  
'Slick, I know you're trying as hard as you can but I really need you to focus. Everything I've read on your development indicates that you can master this but you have to concentrate. Can you do that Slick? Can you knuckle down and focus on the course?' Fox grinned, always gentle with Slick. Everyone was when they were handling his unstable emotions and shaky confidence.  
'I'll try harder, Fox.' Slick nodded, doing his best to blend in with his older brothers and prove he was a worthy soldier.  
'Good man.' Fox praised, glancing over towards the punching bags. 'Lightning, over here.'  
'Coming, Fox.' Lightning replied, moving away from the bags and heading back to Fox's side.

Lightning was one of the many success stories of Alderaan. He lost his right leg from the knee down in a muddy combat zone but with the dedicated care he received, he was back in the ranks on a prosthetic leg to be proud of. Done up in silver and purple, it was sculpted to neatly match the curves of his flesh leg so under armour it became invisible.  
'You wanted to see me, Fox?' Lightning asked, snapping to attention.  
'I'm partnering you up with Slick. Take him through the course a few times so he really get a feel for it. When he's feeling confident about it, we'll do a timed run and see how he goes.' Fox directed, watching the excitement light Slick's eyes.  
'Come on Slick, let's have a go.' Lightning grinned, donning his helmet and plunging back into the obstacle course.

Releasing his frustrations with a sharp flare of his nostrils, Fox rounded on Cut. He didn't need to say anything at first; the hard look in his eyes was enough to warn Cut he was in for a rough time. Straightening up, Cut swallowed quickly, instinctively tightening his grip on his helmet as he waited for his dressing down.  
'You're damned lucky Slick is here, Cut. Were this any other situation, I would give you such a reaming for your pathetic performance. You don't have an excuse for being this far down the performance scale. You haven't got a serious injury, you haven't got a reported brain injury, and your last health check indicated you're just as healthy as the rest of us. So why can't you manage the three minute limit on this course?' Fox growled, keeping his voice down so he didn't throw Slick off his game in the course.  
'The only thing I can offer is lack of practise. For three years, I was away from my brothers, I didn't train and I let go of everything that related to fighting except in the defence of my family. I only had to use those skills once, protecting my family from a unit of commando droids.' Cut sighed, dropping his gaze in an unconscious display of submission. 'It's not much but it's the only reason I've got.'  
'I'll let you slide this time, Cut. But flunk one more fitness test and I'll be putting in a suggestion that you get a permanent posting to the Saleucami base. Before you think it's a good thing, your file will indicate you are below standards and unfit for anything more strenuous than riding the sensor desk. It'll be hard to stay at your desk when your brothers are fighting to defend the base. You'll lose your weapon qualifications, so you won't be authorised to carry a weapon of any sort.' Fox continued, hanging the ultimate failure in front of Cut.  
'I'll do better; I know I can do better.' Cut nodded, keeping his face neutral even though he was withering of shame inside. Fox was threatening to take away everything he'd worked for, he wouldn't even be allowed to protect his wife and children without turning away from his brothers again and he wouldn't be welcomed back again.  
'You say you'll do better but you'll have to prove it. You have three minutes from the time you pass the start marker. Show me that you are worthy of being one of us.' Fox snapped, sending Cut scurrying towards the obstacle course again.

Thumping his helmet on, Cut launched into the course, part of his attention on the timer on his HUD but most of his focus was on the 25 obstacles arranged in the room. It was designed from ARC Trooper training but it worked for a hard course for those lagging behind the main strength of the Army. Slogging through the course as fast as he could, Cut started to worry that he wasn't going to make it though. Time was slipping away and he still had a little under half the course to go. Calling up the faces of his family in another corner of his HUD, Cut dug deep for strength and powered on, scrambling up the high wall and fearlessly leaping off the other side. Reaching out, he caught the dangling ropes and flew, drawing courage and strength from the smiles of his family in the corner of his vision.

Watching Cut charging into the last obstacle, Fox was impressed by the change in him. He'd powered through most of the course and now faced the part that tripped everyone up at least once. It was a series of offset vault points and low beams, fourteen in total. A simple enough challenge but with only three feet between some and two feet between others, making it through wasn't easy. Even he'd been caught out by the last beam up onto vault, the gap was tight and the angle severe. The first three times he'd tried it, he'd endured heavy landings and ridicule from his brothers.

But Cut didn't seem to be having many problems with the set. He weaved from vault to low beam and back up again, running through his weapon drill as he darted along the course. Coming to the last low beam, Cut broke with convention and instead of going through the gap weapon first like everyone else, he rolled sideways, rifle snapping up to scan the area before he scrambled to his feet. Stepping to the right to line up on the vault, Cut broke the norm again. Kicking off, he turned what should have been a single handed vault into a rather graceful front flip. Left foot pushing off the vaulting bar again, he completed the flip and rolled to ease the impact before coming up, scanning the area and sprinting to the finish.

Stunned by the easy grace and athleticism Cut could pull out when properly motivated; Fox picked his jaw up and checked the timing board that kept track of the last ten passes through the course and the ID of each runner.  
'Now that was impressive Cut. Two minutes 45, not a great effort but a big improvement. I did like the way you handled that last low beam into vault and onto the finish. A little more style than substance but over all very good.' Fox praised, walking over to where Cut was standing.  
'Thanks Fox. I guess I just needed the right motivation.' Cut grinned, looking back over his shoulder. 'You can do it Slick, I know you can.'  
'I'm trying Cut, it's hard.' Slick replied, struggling on the small wall.  
'Relax Slick, your body knows how.' Fox added, resisting the urge to go over and help his little brother make it.

Trying again, Slick almost made it to the top before he slipped and fell to the floor with a dull thud. Instantly everyone ran to him, terrified that he'd gotten seriously hurt. Thankfully he'd remembered how to land properly from a fall in the gym. The worst he'd suffered was a rather sore butt from the impact and a minor bruise where his knee had connected with his face.  
'You okay Slick?' Fox asked, sitting him up and checking the bruise on his face.  
'Yeah, I'm okay.' Slick grinned, looking up at the wall. 'I don't think I can do this though.'  
'Sure you can Slick. Come on, I'll do it with you.' Cut coaxed, offering his hand. 'Together, we'll get over this.'

#~#~^~#~#

Working up a good sweat and burning off his excess energy, Wolffe was actually having a pretty good time in the sparring ring. Usually if he wanted to try and beat the snot out of someone, one of his brothers would take him on in return for lighter duties for a few days. But today, when Wolffe had called for a bare knuckled smack down in the ring, his brothers had all backed away. He tried to coax them into it but no one would bite on the challenge.

He did eventually get a sparring partner but they refused to fight him bare knuckled. Instead, they challenged him to use the fighting staves that had been introduced by Jean-Claude and taken to by most of the guys. Wolffe wasn't as proficient with the fighting staves as some of his brothers but he knew enough to stay safe in the ring with them.

Picking out one of the twelve sticks in the rack, Wolffe gave it an experimental twirl in his hands before nodding and moving towards the larger sparring ring. The fighting staves weren't much to look at, each one six feet in length and two inches in diameter. They were smooth from hundreds of hands and carried many battle scars but they were still strong and solid. Some of them had been carved at the ends with geometric designs; others had carvings of flowers and vines. The one Wolffe had picked had Celtic designs curled around the ends and running in bands right along the shaft.

Squaring off in the middle of the larger sparring ring, the combatants held their staves loosely in their right hands and bowed before stepping into ready positions. Wolffe spun his up into a modified guard position, hands spread wide and countering each other so he had full movement. His right hand cupped under the weapon, grip firm and his wrist turned so his knuckle guard was forward. His left hand gripped the weapon from above, his hand positioned in the same way as his right. Across from him, his opponent gripped his staff in just his right hand, about half way along the length. Holding his arm out straight, he rested half the length on his arm and the rest hung in mid air, waiting for the first move.

Wolffe wasn't going to play that game though. He settled his weight firmly and beckoned his opponent forward, refusing to move from his spot. His opponent smirked and stepped forward, weapon spinning around into a standard guard position in challenge. Wolffe just chuckled and held his ground, entering into a battle of wills with his opponent.

Everyone else in the room stopped at the first loud thud of wood on wood, all eyes going to the pair going at it hard in the sparring ring. Moving in a dance as old as time, they swung and blocked in turn, both trying to break through and land a decent body blow but neither could get through the defences of the other.

Ducking a shot aimed for his head, Wolffe was glad for his foresight in wearing his armour today. It didn't fully protect him but it took most of the power of the shot that got under his defence and slammed into the left side of his chest. Reacting on pure battle instinct, Wolffe spun and dropped his left hand, allowing the staff to slid through his right. Faster than the eye could follow, his staff whipped through the air and caught his opponent in the legs, bowling him over in one smooth motion.

Fingers tightening again, Wolffe yanked his right arm back and swung his staff back into a guarding position, waiting for his opponent to get back on his feet. Slipping to the left, he dropped his staff to vertical, catching a loose strike towards his ankles and flipping the opposing staff away again.

By now, quite a crowd had gathered around the larger sparring ring, everyone cheering on their favoured combatant as the pair started circling again. The noise was incredible, the sharp crack of wood against wood and the dull thump of staves connecting with armour combined to create a racket that everyone who witnessed the fight could appreciate. Most of the people in the training room had tried their hands at the staves, not everyone succeeded with them but it was fun to try and master the ancient weapons.

Taking a stinging blow to the gut again, Wolffe snarled and turned to meet his opponent, staff held horizontal in front of him. Sure enough, his opponent took the bait and came at him with an overhand swing, aiming for his right shoulder. Throwing his staff to the ground, Wolffe wrapped both hands around the rushing end and locked up, holding the weapon away from his body and waiting to see what would happen next. His dropped staff wasn't an option now, if either went for it, the other had the control to knock them senseless with the staff they were both holding firmly.

Feeling a releasing of tension through the staff, Wolffe reacted before his opponent could reach for the staff between him. Pulling the staff towards him, Wolffe turned and shoved down, twisting his opponent off balance and dropping him to the mats. Keeping his grip on the second staff, Wolffe stooped to pick up his own and held them both at his sides, waiting to see what his opponent would do.  
'I know when to admit defeat, Wolffe. Well fought.' he smiled, sitting up slowly.  
'I didn't think I could, not against you.' Wolffe shrugged, offering a hand to his opponent. 'It's not every day that a clone beats a Jedi. Even rarer for it to be a Master that takes a fall.'  
'We all have bad days, Wolffe.' Kit laughed, accepting his staff back. 'You move differently from those I've challenged before.'  
'I learned a few new tricks from my second buir. Emily will always be first but Shane chose me to be his son in name.' Wolffe grinned, pleased with his effort. 'Perhaps next time you'll have the win, Master Fisto.'  
'Perhaps Commander.' Kit nodded, stepping out of the ring and returning his staff to the rack where it belonged. 'I'm going to be feeling this for a while.'  
'I can understand that one. Even with my armour on, those body blows hurt.' Wolffe admitted, racking up his staff and welcoming Mitterna back onto his shoulders. 'Come on Mitterna, you can check my bruises later.'

#~#~^~#~#

The battle for Saleucami was short and sweet; the Trade Union had pretty much given up on the planet so there was only a skeleton fleet on station around the planet. Thiry minutes and it was all over, the poorly maintained Union ships so much debris around the planet as the great fleet of the Loyalist GAR drifted down towards the planet surface and the area they'd picked out to be their new base. Gunships were dispatched from every cruiser to spread the word of their mission to the people. They weren't here as conquerors or Enforcers for the Empire, they came as friends, to protect their world from invasion. They didn't want anything from the people, their base was self sufficient and they would scatter protective bunkers to the people in readiness for the invasion that would come. But they promised to protect Saleucami from being dragged into the Empire. These people would live free.

One by one, the ships came down from the waiting fleet and unloaded their cargo and the personnel required to help build their base before returning to the holding pattern above. First came the actual base and all of the animals, temporarily housed in pens near where their paddocks would be organised. The base itself had been pre-made in duracrete and durasteel on Alderaan, broken down and loaded onto the Washington for transport. It hardly looked like a base that could protect Saleucami from the Empire but the weaponry that came off the Seattle clearly told a different story.

The largest building was the actual base, rising four storeys into the sky and buried three storeys beneath the ground. The second building was only slightly smaller really but it only showed two storeys above ground; the other six were sunk into the ground to protect them. That building was designated as the new Jedi Temple. Building three was a stable, half sunk into the ground to protect the animals inside. Fourth came a garage, stoked with BARC speeders and other such vehicles to make patrolling easy. Five was the barracks, three storeys high and completely sunk into the ground. Six was a medical center, roughly the same size as the barracks and hidden completely underground to protect the wounded. Building seven was a smaller barracks building, designed to become a new care house. Number eight sat on top of the hidden barracks, providing a new home for the Draconis that weren't partnered or were on a nest. Ninth was the dairy, not as important now but it served to hide the medical center nicely. Completing the look, four transparisteel greenhouses provided more than enough fresh food for those that would be on permanent posting to the base and allow for some to be given to the people of Saleucami to help them survive the hardships.

Weaving around all of the buildings underground, they dug and reinforced tunnels and corridors to connect everything neatly. They also dug in storerooms and caches for everything else before fitting durasteel panels over the top and making it all disappear again. The extra dirt that wasn't needed to hide the base was shipped to a low valley to the west and dumped, hiding the fact they'd been digging so deep into the ground.

Everything that wasn't needed for the war effort was tucked away inside the new compound, scattered into the dozens of store rooms and caches so carefully dug and hidden. At the same time, another team was flat out positioning the heavy weapons to defend the base. Another team was working on the shield generators while a third team worked to ready the personal protective buildings for the locals of Saleucami.

Everyone had to make sacrifices; there were certain things that everyone had to leave behind. All of the animals had to stay but they also made the choice to put aside their toys and games, leaving more time and space for the war they were getting into. They kept their paintball guns as a training aid but everything else non-military was removed from the ships in readiness for the battles they were going to face.

#~#~^~#~#

Even with so many hands to the massive task, it still took a month to get the new base built, spread word to the people of Saleucami and making sure the base was as self-sufficient as promised. Using gunships around the clock, they were able to deliver the prepared bunkers to every family that wanted one and sunk larger ones in the villages and towns across the planet to provide extra shelter for the people dragged into the war.

More heavy weapons were brought down from the cruisers and scattered around the planet, bulking up security and making it a bad idea for anyone to try anything with this simple farming planet. Adding an extra bite to it, the Loyalist GAR hid a planet wide defence network across the innocent planet. They made use of barns, empty houses or any other buildings that they could get permission to use. On the outside it all looked innocent but at the first sign of trouble, Saleucami became a fortress that the Empire would be crazy to try and break.

Admittedly, it wouldn't hold up to a mass of force like the Loyalist GAR could present now but that was mainly because of the Washington. There were plans to bulk up the network but those plans were on hold until they started bringing in Imperial ships for stripping and integration into the network. Anything that they didn't need for the network would be sent to the salvagers to pay for the war effort.

In and around all of the building efforts, the final stages of the plan to retake the galaxy were being put together in total secrecy onboard the Washington. Only the top ten were privy to the discussion at this point, the rest would be told when the time was right. They'd already organised a combat list, sorting out which planets they wanted to liberate and in which order they would take them. Now they sorted out the fleet, picking the best ships for each of the ten fleets and balancing out the needs of each Fleet Commander. Emily got the Washington but only because she was going to be taking the most serious risks and leading the action at some of their key targets. The rest of the fleet was fair game and quickly divided up into ten deadly fleets spearheaded by six cruisers.

Without anyone else any the wiser, the personnel lists were divided up as well, everyone staking their claim on the best men and women for their fleets and the different duties they would perform in the Loyalist GAR. Everything was shared equally; everyone getting their chance to pick their favourites before the rest were quickly sorted and given new positions within the changing format of their new military.

Postings were decided as well, putting the strongest teams in the front lines and letting those that weren't so confident have some time to get used to what they were controlling now. Of all the Fleet Commanders, David and Ralph were the least confident with their new positions so they were glad to be given rear positions. David got the first rotation on guard duty above Saleucami and Ralph was given the job of protecting their medical frigates from any harm that might come. Hardly glamorous duties but both were happy that they had time to adjust to being in command of so many ships and personnel.

#~#~^~#~#

Called to a meeting on the bridge of the Washington, the remaining five senior batch-brothers didn't know quite what to think of the sudden meeting. They'd been promised a day off before the massed fleet left Saleucami but apparently that wasn't going to happen.  
'Ah good, right on time boys. Come in, we've got something important to discuss.' Emily smiled; looking up from the holomap they were all studying.  
'What's going on buir? I thought today was supposed to be our last day of peace.' Wolffe asked, looking around the room slowly.  
'We're just making final preparations for the war, Wolffe. But we're a few short in a few roles.' Shane replied, beckoning Wolffe over to stand beside him.  
'Short where?' Cody asked, coming around to stand beside Rufus. 'We might be able to offer a few suggestions on capable brothers.'  
'We're short five command brothers.' Ralph replied, looking around the group slowly.'  
'Four, we already know Fives is capable.' Emily corrected, smiling as Fives came up on her right like he'd always belonged.  
'Stone is capable, he worked against my shifts.' Fox offered, stopping beside Jean-Claude.  
'I'll take Stone.' Buck nodded, tapping his wrist comm. 'Commander Stone, report to the bridge of the Washington.'  
"On my way buir." Stone replied, a little breathless but eager to get going.  
'Champion shows talent, he was Bly's second.' Cody suggested, catching the note of hurt in Rex's eyes at the mention.  
'Don't say it Cody, I know. Champion has talent, he's a good choice.' Rex nodded, glancing up at Rufus for a moment.  
'I'll take Champion; I could use someone with some talent.' Ralph grinned, stepping back to call for Champion to join the briefing.  
'Gree, why don't you work with David, he could use someone with plenty of experience.' Emily suggested, making her choice between the two in the room that she'd formally adopted previously. 'He's a little nervous about being in charge of so many.'  
'Sounds like a plan, buir.' Gree nodded, coming around the table to stand beside David. 'Unless you'd rather someone else.'  
'I wouldn't know who else to pick, Gree. I have no idea what I'm doing.' David admitted, relaxing a little more that he had a strong clone officer to back him up.  
'Thire's got possibility. He's never been given command of more than a Squad at once but he knows the theory. He just needs someone to take a chance on him.' Fox suggested, looking around for any complaints on the suggestion.  
'I'll give him a chance, I trust you Fox.' Gena replied, moving back from the map to call her new second into the briefing.  
'I know he's not technically certified but I think Boost could handle it. He's picked up my slack when I've been struck off the combat roster due to illness or injury.' Wolffe shrugged, glancing down at Shane nervously.  
'You'd really break up the Wolfpack? I thought you five were inseparable.' Veronique asked, astounded by the offer.  
'They all deserve a chance to show how much they've learnt. If letting them show their knowledge means I have to let them go, then I guess I have to let them go.' Wolffe sighed, reluctant but it was the best thing for Boost.  
'I'll take care of him, Wolffe. I have faith Boost will go beyond our expectations.' Veronique smiled, stepping back to contact Boost to join them.  
'Just promise me you'll keep the rest of the pack together. They'll cope without me so long as they're together.' Wolffe suggested, standing tall beside Shane.  
'It's a deal, Wolffe.' Veronique promised, activating her comm. 'Boost, I need to see you on the bridge of the Washington.'  
"On my way, buir." Boost replied, apologising to someone in the background before the connection was closed.

It didn't take long for the chosen men to arrive, each one having taken the time to throw on their fatigues and clean up before heading for the bridge. They seemed to know something was up and were trying to make the best of the situation.  
'Good, you're all here. Stone, take your place by Buck. Champion, you're with Ralph. Thire, you've got Gena. Boost, go stand with Veronique.' Emily guided, looking around the group again as the four hustled to their positions. 'Congratulations boys, you've been chosen to step up the ranks and become 2iC's to the parents you're now standing beside. It's not going to be easy on any of you but you've got the skills and the smarts to make it work.'  
'I don't know if I'm ready for this.' Boost uttered, looking around the group nervously.  
'You wouldn't have been suggested if those around you didn't think you could do it Boost.' Veronique smiled, wrapping her arm around his waist. 'You can do it, I know you can.'  
'Besides, you'll have the rest of the pack around to give you a helping hand.' Wolffe added, shooting him a supportive grin. 'I won't be there for you but the four of you will do just fine.'

Digging into the pouch on his belt, Gree came up with a small rank badge, the edges a little worm with age but it was still as shiny as the day he'd first been handed it. There were a lot of memories attached to this little badge, both good and bad, but now it was time to pass on the legacy of leadership to the younger boys.  
'We'll save the proper ceremony until after you've gotten some command experience under your belt.' Gree offered, flicking the rank badge across the holotable. 'But congrats Boost, you're going to make a fine Lieutenant.'  
'Uh…thank you, Sir.' Boost gulped, catching the rank badge and looking at it for a moment. 'I still don't…'  
'Boost, don't even think of finishing that thought. If I didn't think you were capable, I wouldn't have thrown your name into the pot.' Wolffe warned, coming around and taking the pin from his hand. 'As stipulated in the regs, I hereby promote Sergeant Boost to the rank of Lieutenant.'  
'Close enough.' Cody chuckled, snapping off a salute as Wolffe stepped back.  
'Save the full ceremony for when everyone is gathered. Going through it once is bad enough, no need to make Boost endure it twice for the same promotion.' Rex shrugged, idly brushing his own Captain insignia. 'Congratulations Boost, you deserve this.'  
'Give him six months and he'll be your equal Rex. Eighteen and I might have the same situation.' Wolffe grinned, resting his hand on Boost's shoulder. 'You're good enough Boost, make it yours.'  
'I wouldn't count on that, Sir. I'm in no hurry to rush up the ranks.' Boost shrugged, lightly touching the new insignia on his collar. 'This is good enough for me; I'm not looking for much.'  
'We'll see, Boost, we'll see.' Gree offered, fairly sure Boost would climb the ranks.

Smiling softly as the boys settled again and returned to their positions, the Fleet Commanders got down to business, handing around the datachips they had prepared for just this moment.  
'Now the real work can begin. You have each just been given the full ship and personnel roster for each fleet in the Loyalist GAR. You also have the full list of priority planets that we are going to take back before we really start to annoy the Empire.' Shane briefed, looking around the gathering and nodding slowly.  
'Our first three will be a combined effort, then we will split up and focus on different sections of the list. The road ahead will be long and hard but we must succeed. If we fail, there will be no one left to stand against the Empire. Everyone will have to face moments they don't want to but this much be done.' Buck added, soothing Kerin with a touch.  
'First we will take Kamino. The Empire will be weakened without the troops there, waiting for their first deployment. We will take everyone that we can and train them into the Loyalist GAR instead of the Empire. And we will give the Kaminoans some hard choices.' Aloysius nodded, a hard look on his face as Shane brought up the holomap of Kamino.  
'The Washington will head for the main pick up area while the rest of the Loyalist GAR holds back and takes up positions over every city on Kamino. If the Kaminoans refuse to accept our terms, we will have no choice but to destroy their facilities. I know that sounds horrible, we would be slaughtering thousands of your younger brothers but if we don't do it, they will be delivered to the Empire and we will have to fight them anyway.' Rufus continued, staring at the map as the cities started to flash red.  
'But if the Kaminoans do accept our terms, we will have a constant supply of new recruits into our ranks and a few injustices will be made right. That's not something you'll have to worry about, it's our situation to rectify.' Emily grinned, carefully hiding their real reason for focusing on Kamino first when they really could use more ships.  
'With all these changes in the Loyalist GAR, what are we doing about the colours we wear?' Champion asked, dropping his gaze sadly. 'I don't want to stir up any bad feelings.'  
'We keep the colours as they are. Through us, the old GAR lives on. The Empire will enforce total utilitarianism in their ranks so we must stand out. Even the shinys will have to paint their armour, lest they get confused for the enemy. We'll work out new insignia to keep the units separate but the colours should stand as a reminder of what we survived.' Stone suggested, looking at the red tribal designs tattooed on his knuckles.  
'Something simple but clearly different from the symbol that the Empire is now using. That's going to be a problem for Jesse, his tattoo will have to be dealt with.' Gena agreed, rubbing her chin in thought. 'Someone will have to tell him.'  
'I'll handle it, he'll accept it from me the best.' Rex offered, knowing that his history with Jesse would make it easier.

With the minor issues sorted out, the hard work began. Making use of the knowledge their boys had, the team started to really plot out how the battle for Kamino would run. The boys knew about the under water structures and where the weak points of the buildings were located, even though no one had told them. Together they figured out the fastest way to destroy the cloning facilities that wouldn't leave any of their younger brothers to suffer and gave the best chance of obliterating all of the Kaminoans so they couldn't start over.


	34. First Strike

Dropping out of hyperspace and moving to surround Kamino, the mighty fleet of the Loyalist GAR spread out to cover every population center with their dark shadows. Breaking from the main group, the Washington headed for Tipoca City, everyone ready for the hard work to begin. There would be a hard fight to force the Kaminoans to follow their demands but if it worked as hoped, the effort would be worth it.

Standing on the bridge, Emily knew she looked deadly in her new armour. It was the same as all her boys wore, with a few minor adjustments to make the fit more comfortable. Instead of white with flashes of colour to mark a unit, hers was painted purple with white markings to indicate she was something special. With Gystar wrapped around her neck, a rifle slung over her shoulder and dual pistols on her hips, she clearly meant serious business and Force help anyone who got in her way.

Behind her, standing shoulder to shoulder despite their differing pasts, her command team were all ready for the fight. Four wore armour, proudly sporting their old colours and the new insignia for the Washington and her fleet. The other two wore their standard Jedi robes, the new insignia embroidered on the sleeves as a mark of their new loyalty.  
'Well, this is it. If anyone wants to back out, now's the time to say so.' Emily grinned, turning to regard the team behind her. 'There's no disappearing after we do this. Today the war starts.'  
'I'm ready, buir.' Fives nodded, standing tall in his old armour, the paint design altered to reflect his position at her right hand.  
'It's time we stopped hiding.' Dogma agreed, happy to be back in the action and looking forward to his first fight after so long.  
'If we don't do this now, the Empire will have more time to build their ranks.' Tup added, ready to make someone pay for the brothers he'd lost.  
'Someone has to make the Kaminiise change their ways. If not us, no one will.' Chopper nodded, anger rising but he was keeping it in check for now.  
'The Jedi are not a violent group but this must be done. We can only hope that our actions here make life better in the galaxy.' Kit offered, wary of going in hard but he wasn't the one making the combat call.  
'Be careful Emily, too many violent attacks like this and the Jedi will leave.' Aayla warned, worried about what the future might hold.  
'War is violent, Aayla but I doubt Windu will lead the Jedi away from us, he knows that there is still a great interest in seeing the Order wiped out.' Emily replied, securing her helmet and nodding. 'But I won't take offence if either of you decide to sit this one out. This one is personal. Those are my sons the Kaminiise are abusing and I won't stand for it any longer.'

Buckets on, Emily's four top men fell into place behind her, Fives and Chopper to her right, Tup and Dogma on her left. Heads held high, they left the bridge together, everyone in perfect step as they headed to see what sort of a show of strength would get the Kaminoans to behave.

#~#~^~#~#

Making it plainly clear that they weren't here to make nice with the Kaminoans, the rest of the assigned Fleet Commanders came down to join Emily to confront the cloners with their demands. It didn't matter to them that only eight of the ten were here, they still made for a deadly appearance over the city. 

Coming down the ramp with her chosen six, Emily joined the waiting command team and nodded, satisfied with the turn out. She was a little surprised to see so many of the Jedi around but it was a good surprise. It proved that she'd been right about their feelings towards protecting the Loyalist GAR and all they stood for.

Standing as one, everyone behind the raging storm that was Emily's battle ready mind, they waited for someone to come and meet them before storming the city. If no one came, it was a sign that this wouldn't be a peaceful change. If no one had the courage to face the Loyalist GAR and negotiate for the safety of Kamino, then things would simply never end peacefully.

Standing there together, they hardly looked like a threat but anyone that knew them knew different. Everyone brought their own devastating talents and training to the fields of battle, training their sons and friends in the art of war as they knew it. Together, they created a combat style completely unlike anything the Empire would face anywhere else. Everything was mixed together to create something uniquely theirs and very difficult to deal with.  
'Shane, give them a bit of a shake up. This is taking too long.' Emily directed, trusting him to make the right choice.  
'Cheyenne, you are authorised one shot at the western city. The Kaminiise are stalling.' Shane directed, following Emily's guidance confidently. 'Aim for the supports.'  
"Copy that Shane. We're aiming for the northern supports." The response was quick, everyone wanted this fight over before the Empire could rally a defence for Kamino.  
'Picking up a lot more chatter now. The Kaminoans are trying to contact the Empire for support.' Cody warned, listening intently to the reports coming in from their fleet.  
'Tell our fleet to increase jamming output. We do not want anyone getting a message out.' Aloysius nodded, his order echoed by the rest of the command team. 'The Empire will know our strength when we are ready for them to know.'

Growling low in her throat, Emily was just about ready to call for another surgical strike when they heard footsteps approaching. Smiling beneath her helmet, she instead signalled for the team to come together in their practised formation. Standing like this, it became clear that Emily was the top officer and everything would go through her.

Sure enough, two of the long-necked, overly graceful Kaminoans approached, their very posture screaming of anger and an undercurrent of confusion. One had a high crest over their head, marking that one as male and his clothes told everyone that he was the Prime Minister - Lama Su. The other one was his aide, Taun We.  
'How dare you attack our…' Lama Su started but Emily wasn't going to stand for that.  
'Be silent and we may not destroy more of this disgusting civilisation.' Emily snarled, stepping forward and yanking her helmet off. 'You knew I would come back! I vowed that if the enslavement continued, I would return! The Republic has fallen and you continue to enslave my sons so I am here!'  
'So long as we are paid for our services, we do not care where our products end up.' Lama Su replied, looking down at Emily and disregarding her as a threat without backup of the Senate.  
'Rufus and Gena, give the order.' Emily barked, eyes flashing fire as the orders were passed.

Within seconds, reports of more damaged structures came to Lama Su, lighting up on the datapad in Taun We's hand. Seeing their resolve strengthening to resist these heavy handed tactics, Emily smirked and nodded faintly, empty left hand giving a rapid fire signal down by her hips. Behind her, five voices responded at once, ordering another round of surgical strikes on the scattered cities.  
'Now, shall we negotiate a new deal or shall we continue this destruction?' Emily asked, putting on an air of boredom as she spoke.  
'We have a deal with the Empire. We cannot alter that.' Lama Su replied, glancing at the datapad as it beeped again.  
'Fives, pass the order. We storm this city and take every clone!' Emily snapped, upping the pressure on Lama Su. 'I doubt the Empire will be pleased to know they will have to wait another ten years to get any troops from Kamino.'  
'As ordered.' Fives nodded, activating his comm. 'all units, prepare to storm the city. The Kaminiise will not surrender.'

A grand chorus echoed out from the waiting super-cruiser, ranks of men coming down the ramp to form up behind the massed command team. Weapons raised in readiness and each man carrying a modified backpack, they were fully ready to storm every corridor and take what would not be given freely. Racing out over the heads of the clones behind the command team, thousands of Draconis called and scattered, breaking formation and racing away to find their partners in the large city.  
'This is your last chance Lama Su. Either you negotiate with us or you lose everything. We will take what we want and destroy everything else.' Emily challenged, holding the men back for the moment but it would only take one word.  
'We will negotiate.' Lama Su nodded, still receiving reports of damage done all over Kamino.  
'A wise decision.' Emily replied, glancing back over her shoulder. 'Fives, switch to the middle phase mission.'  
'It will be done.' Fives nodded, stepping back from her side. 'Listen up everyone! We're going in to liberate our brothers. Everyone over the age of five is coming with us, right now! Also, any clone partnered with a Draconis is to be gathered and added to the crew roster!'  
'Choose your argument wisely, Lama Su. One word and we'll take the rest of my sons as well.' Emily warned, motioning her troops forward. 'Now, we have much to negotiate.'  
'My office is this way.' Lama Su guided, stuck and he knew it. The clones here would never harm their brothers, they had never been informed of the breakaway sector.

Stepping forward, the rest of her elite command team took their positions behind her, ready to move this to the next phase. Clapping Chopper on the shoulder, Fives moved up with them, leaving Chopper to lead the actual searching of the city with the remaining chosen clones standing behind their Fleet Commanders. Snapping off perfect salutes, they turned and led the charge into the city, bringing up their weapons and taking out every camera they saw. Making their own choice, the Jedi moved back to await the first arrivals, ready to herd the new recruits onto the Washington where they would be safe and contained until it was time to leave.

#~#~^~#~#

Settled in Lama Su's office, the team handled the negotiations as one voice, making sure that their demands were made blatantly obvious and ensuring that there were no loopholes. But they didn't just take from the Kaminoans, they tried to be fair with their demands. Restrictions were placed on using the old Fett DNA to produce more clones, but to make up for those restrictions, six new samples were provided to produce the Army for the Empire. They were from random people on Saleucami but they all matched the basic physical characteristics of the boys so it was unlikely to cause any real problems.

But now they came to the real purpose of these negotiations. Getting the Kaminoans to agree that all further production from the Fett DNA was strictly for the Loyalist GAR was easy, the next step would be much harder to achieve. It would require a lot more from the Kaminoans and there was little left to barter with.  
'Before you get too comfortable, we're not even close to being done yet.' Emily warned, shifting in the egg-shaped chair she'd been provided. 'The Fett DNA restrictions are just the beginning.'  
'I do not know how much more we can offer you.' Lama Su replied, looking around the group.  
'The rest of our demands don't relate to us personally. They relate to the clones we consider our sons.' Gena growled, just as infuriated as Emily but less willing to hide the fact.  
'You have treated them so cruelly since the beginning. That treatment ends now! From this day on, you will change your policies regarding them.' Shane nodded, resting one hand on Gena's shoulder lightly. 'You will stop your thoughtless actions and make things right.'  
'Make what right?' Lama Su asked, completely missing the point of their anger. 'Nothing has changed since we started production.'

Getting to his feet, Aloysius spat on the highly polished floor and glared at Lama Su, his fury building at the casual indifference the Prime Minister displayed for living, breathing boys in adult bodies.  
'You mess with their minds like they are computer programs. Discarding what you see as useless and building them up to be perfect little drones. You strip away their free will, force them to be submissive to those in power, dull their ability to think freely and limit their emotions. You play god, forcing boys to become men before they are ready. You make them docile, a bad trait for soldiers. You take away their innocence before they even know what life is. You force them to try and deal with adult issues when they're just scared kids.' Aloysius fumed, getting right into Lama Su's personal space. 'This is what must be made right!'  
'You take and take from them but you never give them anything back. Now you're going to make things right for all of them.' Rufus added, restraining Aloysius from full violence with just a hand on his shoulder.  
'That's impossible. We use the growth acceleration to save time, otherwise it would take a lifetime to have them ready.' Lama Su replied, stunned by what they were asking of him.

Now Jean-Claude stood, barely seeming to notice the weight of the Z-6 rotary blaster mounted on a shoulder harness and now resting against his back. Standing in a modified mix of fatigues and armour, he looked downright mean.  
'You are obviously smart, find a way to put a timer on the growth acceleration. Ten years to train them and then it stops. This gives the best of both worlds. Their training is fast enough and they have more years of useful life afterwards.' Veronique suggested, looking for all the world like a queen on her throne as she spoke.  
'The rest of it is of no use to us. We want sons that think for themselves, have the ability to make their own choices on where they will fight and will stand up for their rights when challenged. We do not want them to be more docile, we want them to be fierce fighters that are doing this because they believe in the cause not because they were ordered to fight.' Jean-Claude continued, his presence menacing enough without moving any closer to Lama Su.

Backed into a corner and all too aware of it, Lama Su knew there was only thing left for him to do. It would hurt their production abilities and cut into their profits but it was the better choice. If he didn't agree to their terms, they had the military might to completely destroy everything on Kamino. Losing profits seemed insignificant against the eradication of his people.  
'Very well, we will make the alterations to the batches still in gestation.' he agreed, baffled when the command team around him all growled angrily.  
'What about us? You messed around with our genetic make up too. If you fucked around with it, you must know how to fix it.' one of the clones in the room growled, Lama Su didn't know him.  
'Stone's right.' Buck nodded, looking up at Stone with a grin. 'You messed around with their genetic structure so you're going to set all of them right as well. Every clone in the Loyalist GAR will be given the same treatment.'  
'Even those you consider defective. They might not be combat ready or capable but they have their own duties to attend to. You will make it right for all of them.' Emily nodded, glaring at Lama Su with unadulterated hatred.

Aware of the numbers they had produced over the duration of the Clone Wars, Lama Su knew going through with a genetic repair program for all of them would be expensive but they would recover their costs with the Imperial cloning program. If their homes were destroyed, there would be no coming back for them.  
'It will take time to create something that will return their genetic material to what it was originally. The process is unlikely to be comfortable for any of them but we will try.' Lama Su offered, ignored the stunned look he was getting from Taun We.  
'Time we have. The fleet will stay in position above Kamino until the work is completed, just to be sure you don't try to cheat your way out of the deal.' Emily nodded, tapping her comm. 'how goes the rescue effort, Chopper?'  
"It's slow progress sorting out some of the groups but we're getting there. Been a few reluctant to go, confusion and fear mostly but with a little gentle coaxing, they're getting organised and moving out." Chopper briefed, sounding a little tired but Emily knew him better than that.  
'Keep up the good work Chopper. Have a team get in contact with 99, he knows some of the hiding paces. Make sure the Kaminiise aren't hiding anything from us.' Emily guided, never harsh with her sons even when giving orders.  
"Already done. He's got two squads with him searching the lower areas." Chopper replied, proving why Fives had picked him as a second.  
'Good man, Chopper. Keep me informed.' Emily praised, so very pleased with how Chopper was blossoming now that he had a chance.

#~#~^~#~#

Making their way down one of the many corridors, Hardcase was particularly grateful for his new armour. He knew his scarred and mangled body would scare the shinys, they'd never had to face the harsh realities of war. With time they would learn but until they did, his devastating burn scars would terrify any shiny that saw him.

Stepping into one of many identical bunkrooms, Hardcase couldn't quite hide his flinch when some of the young clones recoiled from him, looks of shock and fear on their young faces. But this time, Hardcase didn't turn and leave the room. He swallowed his worry and glanced at Jesse, trusting in his brother to handle the situation.

But surprisingly, the first step towards understanding didn't come from Jesse. Instead, it came from one of the younger cadets. Stepping away from his brothers, the younger man stopped in front of Hardcase, looking up at him with respect and confusion. There was no trace of fear in his young eyes, just curiosity and wonder as his dark gaze swept over the obvious scars.

Sinking down to one knee, Hardcase reached up to remove the blue and purple bandana he wore now, folding it neatly over his knee as he gazed at the young warrior of the future. For a few precious minutes, neither moved as they both waited for the other to react. Reaching out slowly, the younger lightly rested his fingers on Hardcase's cheek, tracing the old scars and trying to understand.  
'I am a survivor.' Hardcase uttered, eyes closing slowly as the youngster continued to touch his battered and disfigured face.  
'You are a hero, vod.' the younger clone replied, lowering his hand slowly. 'You must have done something incredibly brave to earn such scars.'  
'Yeah, I guess you could say that. I saved a few hundred of my brothers.' Hardcase grinned, amazed to find acceptance with one so young. 'One day you might have the chance to do something just as brave.'  
'Maybe, ori'vod.' he smiled, stepping closer and offering out his hand. 'I am Snipe, the trainers say I'm one of the best they've seen in a while.'  
'No one likes a braggart Snipe.' Hardcase warned, taking his hand firmly. 'The name's Hardcase.'

Watching over the pair making nice, Jesse smiled softly and turned his attention to the rest of the young cadets standing around, all staring at Hardcase and Snipe. Clapping his hands to draw focus, Jesse nodded faintly and adjusted his grip on his carbine.  
'Alright boys, pack your belongings. You've been chosen to join the Loyalist GAR. There your individuality will be cherished, instead of the enforced conformity of the Empire. Don't worry if you don't have armour of weapons yet, you will be given everything you need when you've finished growing.' Jesse briefed, watching their emotions as they tried to understand what was going on. 'Don't just stand there, move!'  
'Don't be so hard on them, Jesse. They're just kids, this is probably scary as hell for them.' Hardcase sighed, smoothing his bandana back into place and standing. 'Go on Snipe, pack your gear. Your adventure starts now.'  
'Okay Hardcase.' Snipe nodded, turning and heading for his locker.  
'Remember how nervous we were when we first got our deployment orders?' Hardcase asked, letting his carbine hang from his fingers as he looked at Jesse.  
'Yeah, I remember.' Jesse nodded, eyes closing for a moment. 'We had Kix to balance us out though. He was excited to get out there.'  
'we were all excited to be leaving Kamino but everyone fears the moment they leave the safety of this place to face the hardships out on the frontlines. Even I felt it, and you know how I used to be.' Hardcase admitted, missing the weight of his Z-6 but it wasn't needed for this mission.

#~#~^~#~#

Watching over the clones that were starting to arrive, the Jedi were stunned by the numbers. Of course, they knew that Kamino had produced the entire GAR but right now, it looked as though the Kaminoans had been stockpiling clones in readiness for something outside the war they'd all known. They'd been working on something and Emily had put a stop to it quickly and decisively, whether she knew about it or not.

Welcoming the shocked and confused troopers with warm smiles, the assigned Jedi took a few minutes to get to know a few random individuals in each group before ushering them up the ramp and into the patiently waiting super-cruiser. Standing at the top of the ramp, the Sergeants assigned to the deck got to work, assigning Squads to the empty bunkrooms throughout the Washington. They were warned not to get too settled, many wouldn't be staying on the super-cruiser but for now, they were stuck there.

Some that came were too young to fight, they came because their new Draconis partners urged them to run for where they would be safe. Burdened with the few possessions they had, they ran hard for the waiting ship, worried that they would be left behind. To reassure them, the Sergeants on the deck above sent down trained squads to wait for any more Draconis guided arrivals and hustle them up the ramp as fast as they could.

99 made his way back, supported by two Squads and leading another group of forgotten brothers, each one disfigured and twisted by the darkness of the Kaminoan cloning techniques. The Jedi were shocked by the severity of the damage done in some cases. They'd seen the rescued clones on Alderaan but these ones seemed worse somehow. Moving forward to help, they guided these unfortunate clones up the ramp, working together to carry some of the most severely affected ones up to safety.  
'There are still more down there. We started with the ones that could get here under their own strength.' 99 warned, approaching the ramp. 'I need more Squads to help carry the rest to safety. They're not going anywhere without help.'  
'You've got it 99.' one of the Sergeants replied, turning and calling for three Squads to grab their gear and get moving.

Another group returned with cargo trolleys, making their way into the massive ship to deposit crates of armour and weapons waiting for owners. More troops came out of the Washington, forming a human chain to speed the crates into the hold where the needed supplies would be kept until sorting and delivery. Everything was carefully organised so it would be as easy as possible to grab full sets of gear and get new troops ready for action.

Showing that they knew exactly what to go for, a group of transport drivers returned from the garages with another six AT-TE walkers, twelve AT-RT scout walkers and eight BARC speeders. Waiting for everyone to get out of the way, the crews eased their stolen vehicles up the ramps and into the hangers where they belonged. Soon they would be repainted and no one would know for sure where they had come from.

Swooping in from another hanger, six new LAAT/i gunships headed into the Washington as well, closely followed by six LAAT/c gunships. The LAAT/c model was designed to carry the AT-TE walkers into action and they were frequently lost so replacing those was certainly a good idea and these ones would soon disappear into the ranks.

Troops were still coming thick and fast, the older ones in shiny new armour with weapons to hand, looking forward to their first taste of what they were born to do. The younger ones weren't so confident, but they were willing to try against whatever was out there. A few that came were far below standard combat age but their Draconis partners got them tickets on the fleet. Until they were old enough to fight, they would go to Saleucami to train and learn more about the galaxy they were fighting for.

#~#~^~#~#

Keeping the pressure on the Kaminoans by lifting the fleet into a blockade pattern around their planet, the parental team got to work on sorting out the thousands of fresh troops that had been taken from Kamino. Splitting up the new hardware and working out the best places for each new Squad to go, they balanced out when they had with their plans for the galaxy and made sure their varying fleets and armies were capable of handling their parts.

By staying in orbit around the planet, they were also close to hand for when the Kaminoans managed to set right everything they had screwed up. A few brave sons had agreed to stay on Kamino for testing, wanting to do their bit to ensure a future for their brothers. They knew it was dangerous, there was no telling what could happen to them but for the small team of eight, it was worth the risk.

To prove they were serious about the negotiations made, the Loyalist GAR allowed the Kaminoans to contact the Empire and inform them of the trouble in the city that had caused the unexplained deaths of thousands of clones. They passed it off as a biological attack from unknown culprits, a virus that had been released into the city that had severely weakened and killed every clone out of their vats. The Emperor wasn't happy to hear about the set back but there was nothing that could be done. Instead, he ordered the Kaminoans to double their production using whatever means necessary. Lama Su promised that he would put their very best scientists onto the job to ensure the Empire had fresh troops as soon as possible. That seemed to satisfy the Emperor.

Of course, the Loyalist GAR knew it wasn't going to happen that way. They'd already discussed it at length with Lama Su. At the moment, all his best scientists were working on fixing the problems in the Loyalist GAR. Once that was done, they would work on the Army for the Empire, using extra growth acceleration and tinkering around as much as was needed to produce fully grown clones as fast as possible.

Making the best of the time they had to spend over Kamino, the command team turned their attention to their troops, taking the time to train them in new skills. There was still a lot to teach the clones and the Jedi could use some refreshers on the basics of war so everyone got to work, training their sons and friends with their favoured techniques.

#~#~^~#~#

Rufus swung into his newest toy and called for every fighter pilot in the massed fleet to join him or a few training runs. Of all the fighters he'd modified for his own use, this sleek silver and purple beauty was his favourite. It had needed a total overhaul to suit his needs but now this Delta 7B Aethersprite class light interceptor was perfect for his requirements as a top pilot. At one stage, it had belonged to Anakin Skywalker but after his downfall, it had been sitting uselessly in the hangers of the Resolute until Rufus decided to use it.

Flooding out of their cruisers, thousands of pilots formed up behind him, eager to learn another new trick from him. Surprisingly, many of the Jedi came out as well, taking their places in the ranks and waiting to see what Rufus could ask of his modified fighter. Aware of the variety of fighters behind him, Rufus sorted them into squadrons and then by skill level so he could readjust his track for each chase group.

Calling first for the Jedi to chase him down, Rufus shot away from the group and flipped over, keeping his fighter in a tight spin as he headed for the rain lashed planet below. Finding his focus and ignoring everything else, he broke through the clouds and levelled out, one eye on his sensors as he rushed towards the nearest city, staying just above the roaring waves and ignoring the rain pounding down on his ship.

It came as no surprise that Master's Tiin and Koon were hot on his trail, flying straight tracks in an attempt to get back on his thrusters. Chuckling quietly, Rufus yanked back on the stick, ripping through a sharp turn and charging through a small gap between two of the buildings. Getting into a spin again, he flipped over backwards and levelled his wings, dropping back through another gap just as Tiin appeared through the gap he'd used to get up.

Snapping left and rolling onto his wingtip, Rufus narrowly avoided Master Koon as they zipped in opposite directions. Shaking off the close call, Rufus shot skywards again, forcing his fighter to fly the contours of the building to hide from sensors. Spotting another fighter on his scanners, Rufus broke off and headed for open air, thinking nothing of having Mace Windu on his tail.

Sending up a signal to the fighters waiting up with the fleet, Rufus shook Windu off his thrusters and yanked back on his stick again, squeezing through the gap between two more fighters in the air. He had a moment to catch Ahsoka's stunned gaze before she was behind him and he had to focus on avoiding his main problems - Tiin and Koon.

Now things got really complicated as the huge wing of waiting fighters came down into the rain and scattered around the chase zone, adding a new level of danger to an already tricky situation. The Jedi seemed hesitant to continue the chase among the other fighters, but eventually they got back into the game, adjusting to the new obstacles in the air and trying to catch Rufus.

#~#~^~#~#

Working with some of the senior clones in the hold of the Philadelphia, Aloysius watched them for now, evaluating how they were progressing with their advanced hand-to-hand training. Of course, all of the boys knew how to hold their own in a fierce close quarters fight but these boys were learning something a little extra.

It was an odd combination of old Delta training mixed with Marine Corps martial arts training with a touch of skills and attacks both Emily and Aloysius had learnt during their Bounty Hunting years. It was unorthodox and there were lots of different strikes, blocks and throws to master but so far, the students were doing admirably.

Ducking back when Fives took an unscheduled flight thanks to Gree, Aloysius chuckled and walked over to help him up again. Trying to play it cool, Fives paused only for a moment to readjust his belt before diving back into the training, doing his best to overpower the older man. It didn't quite go to plan, Fives ended up on the flight list again.

Catching Fives before he hit the floor again, Aloysius grinned and handed over his paired pistols before stepping up to confront Gree. He couldn't offer Fives guidance without knowing exactly what Gree was doing to send him flying so quickly.  
'No holds bared Gree. Show me what you're doing to get a flight line.' Aloysius nodded, setting his feet and dropping his weight in readiness.  
'You're on ba'vodu.' Gree smirked, knowing full well that anything but his best would end in him going on a flight of his own.

Falling into a rhythm of his own design, Aloysius had little trouble keeping up with Gree's opening sequences. Armour clattering together, the pair turned and lashed out, both constantly adjusting their battle plan depending on what the other was doing. Then Gree did something that Aloysius hadn't seen coming. Reacting purely on instinct now, Aloysius caught the first strike on his chestplate and spun, narrowly dodging the strike aimed at his unprotected head. Catching the third strike on his crossed forearms, Aloysius saw the pattern and broke it, sending Gree skidding across the deck on his back.

Dropping his arms and turning at the call of his name, Aloysius grunted when he was caught from behind and driven to the deck. Rolling to the right, he gave as good as he got, sending them both tumbling across the hard deck. Suddenly someone else was there, dragging Gree off and hooking into him with a new ferocity. Bounding up, Aloysius went for the nearest of the trainees, working to draw them into a full melee like they could expect at times. Rex went with him easily, leading with a reversed elbow to get him some breathing room before they engaged hard, fists flying as they stepped through the ancient dance.

It didn't take long at all for the training session to degenerate into a full on punch-'em-up, everyone in to score the best hits while still protecting their vulnerable spots. Right in the middle of the mass, Aloysius tried to stay one step ahead of the mass around him, knowing it would only take one hit to the back of his head to put him on the deck. He was still waiting for his new helmet, the techs were upgrading a standard one to handle the extra workload he did and painting it up in black, purple and silver. The armour he was wearing now didn't fit properly but it was good enough for now.

Grunting when he took a wild elbow to the back of the head, Aloysius dropped to his knees, his mind rattled by the blow. He was down and his glasses had come off but he knew if he stayed still, the scrum would move and he'd have a chance to find his glasses and get back to work. Then he heard it, the sharp cracking, grinding noise that usually meant his glasses had been stepped on.  
'Oh shit.' Stone uttered, the regret in his voice marking him as the one to have stepped on that pair. 'Oh shit. I am so sorry ba'vodu.'  
'It's okay, Stone. Really, it's okay.' Aloysius replied, lifting his head. 'I guess now is as good a time as any to try this out.'  
'Try what, buir?' Cody asked, crouching beside him. 'I can run and grab you another pair.'  
'No, that's not necessary Cody. I've been undergoing some secret treatments with the Jedi healers onboard. It's not permanent yet but hopes are good for the future.' Aloysius replied, one hand up to shield his eyes. 'We're trying to fix my own genetic problems.'

Taking his time, not wanting to overstress the Force healing, Aloysius slowly opened his eyes, for now looking at the shaded area around him. Cody had proven to understand, arranging the rest of the training group into a circle around him to give him something to work with. Blinking slowly, amazed that it wasn't hurting yet, Aloysius motioned the boys back a little, allowing more light into his shaded area and waiting to see what happened.

Working up to full light on his weak eyes, Aloysius smiled and stood, looking around the hanger slowly as he tried to get used to this. There was an edge of pain left but it was no worse than the dull ache from the knee he'd mangled years ago. He could live with this pain but he would need to be careful. Pushing too hard would only undo the work that had already been done.

Smiling in wonder at what had been given back to him, Aloysius nodded and turned his full attention back to his class. They were all looking at him expectantly, waiting to see what would happen next.  
'Back to your training exercises boys. Stone, why don't you try your luck against Gree.' Aloysius nodded, making his way out of the group again and standing back as they went through the training again.

#~#~^~#~#

Called in to deal with a problem in the ranks, Emily sat the three problem boys down in her office onboard the Washington. As far as the rest of her team had come as parents, sometimes they still sent issues to her when they didn't know how to handle it. She was used to it now and tried to handle everything fairly but sometimes it was hard.

This one was a perfect example of a situation that even Emily didn't quite know how to handle properly. She had Jesse and Hardcase on one side of her office and Kix on the other, all three were hurting and no one was telling her anything. At least Jesse had followed orders with his facial tattoo, it had been altered to match the new insignia of Aloysius' fleet. The modification had been easy enough. The eight struts of the wheel had been fitted with arrow points.

Sighing softly, Emily stepped towards Kix, reaching out to him with one hand. Looking up from the floor, deep brown eyes wet with unshed tears, Kix took her hand and let her lead him into the next room.  
'Don't even think of leaving, you two.' Emily warned, looking back over her shoulder as she led Kix into her private quarters.

Locking the door behind them, Emily led Kix to her bunk and sat him down comfortably. Pulling up a chair, she sat in front of him, lightly holding his hands and waiting for him to open up and let her know just what was causing him so much pain. She knew he would talk, when she got them like this they always talked.  
'I…how could he do that? I thought we had something.' Kix uttered, shoulders drooping as the first tears fell. 'I loved him and he threw me aside. It hurts, buir. It hurts so much.'  
'That's why you've been so down these last few weeks, hmm?' Emily asked, squeezing his fingers lightly. 'Someone broke your heart.'  
'Yeah.' Kix nodded, choking on his pain as he sat there. 'I didn't think it would hurt this much.'  
'Heartbreak is always painful, no matter how many times it happens. It's part of growing up, it happens to everyone, Kix. Even I've been there, many times.' Emily offered, leaving her chair to sit beside Kix and hold him close.  
'Does it always hurt this much?' Kix asked, sagging into her warmth as he wept quietly.  
'With time, the hurt will fade but you'll always feel the ache of loss.' Emily nodded, wiping his face lightly. 'It never completely fades, you'll always have the reminder of the ones that hurt you so deeply.'

Clinging to Emily desperately, Kix tried to understand his own emotions. He didn't like feeling this way but he didn't know how to make it better. It felt like a rock in his chest, crushing his will to get out of bed each morning.  
'What do I do now?' Kix asked softly, hiding his face in her shoulder. 'It hurts but I don't know how to fix it this time.'  
'Training can't prepare you for everything, Kix. There are some things that just have to heal in their own time.' Emily replied, a faint smile on her face as she spoke. 'But there are a few things you can do to help speed the process.'  
'I'll do anything, buir. I just want it to stop hurting.' Kix nodded, absently rubbing his chest like he was trying to ease the ache.  
'I know, Kix, I know. Shh, just relax, I'm here.' Emily soothed, feeling her own heart ache for all he was trying to put up with. 'I know it hurts, I've been there so many times.'  
'Please buir.' Kix whispered, desperate for answers to make it stop hurting so much.  
'Relax, Kix. That's the first thing you have to do. Just relax.' Emily coaxed, holding him close and resting her right hand over his heart. 'I know you'd rather just move on but I need to know who hurt you like this. I can't fix this if I don't know the full story.'  
'It was Jesse.' Kix admitted, slumping into her strength. 'I noticed he was becoming distant about six months ago. I didn't realise he'd picked up with Hardcase until I caught them fucking on Jesse's bunk on Saleucami. I was such an idiot not to see it.'

Mind reeling as she considered his words, Emily sighed softly and brushed aside her concerns for the moment. Jesse and Hardcase would have to wait, right now she needed to set Kix on a path back to his old bubbly self.  
'What you need to do is keep busy. I know it's tough, you don't want to get out of bed and do anything but it's important to keep your mind occupied. Find someone that you enjoy being around, someone onboard the Cheyenne, and talk to them. You don't have to tell them everything, just open up and let them know who you are inside.' Emily guided, knowing full well that Kix hid his softer side from just about everyone now.  
'I don't know, buir. What if I'm setting up for another heartbreak?' Kix asked, tensing up at the implications of such a thing.  
'Make it clear that you're just looking for a friend to help you over the hurt. You're not the first of the boys to get their heart broken, it's part of growing up. I'm just trying to think who is on the Cheyenne that's gone through this before.' Emily nodded, leaning back against the wall behind her and stroking over Kix's head lovingly.

Eyes closing, Kix started listing all the brothers he could that were serving on the Cheyenne. He started with the command group and worked through the ranks, names and numbers pouring out and showing his truly incredible memory. Emily couldn't remember half of the boys that he'd named but a few jumped out as options. She didn't say anything though, she let him test his memory as a distraction from the heartbreak. He kept going, working meticulously through the crew until he finally went quiet, eyes closed tight as he tried to remember any more.  
'I know I missed some but I can't think of their names.' he uttered, opening his eyes slowly.  
'I'm impressed that you remembered so many, Kix. I'm the clone mother and even I couldn't recite that many without a memory aid or three.' Emily chuckled, cuddling him tight. 'You did an amazing job.'  
'Did it help?' Kix asked, getting back to the task he'd originally been trying to help with.  
'There are a few possibilities but I think you'll have the best chance to try it with Wolffe. He's a soft soul, like you and he's just recently suffered a painful break up. I won't go into details but he was in a fairly strong relationship with Gree until it went sour.' Emily advised, looking down at Kix as he smiled faintly.  
'I admit, I've admired Wolffe for a while. Maybe a little more than brothers should but nothing I'd take beyond a strong friendship.' Kix offered, drawing away a little bit. 'Is that likely to cause a problem, buir?'  
'I don't think so, just as long as you remember to take it slow. Don't push him, he'll only run if you ask for more than he's ready to give.' Emily warned, relaxing her grip and reaching for her comm. 'why don't I see if Wolffe is busy or not? If he's got some time, ask one of the pilots to take you back to the Cheyenne so you can give it a go with Wolffe.'  
'I'd like that buir.' Kix nodded, his mood brightening but it would be a long time before he was fully recovered from his first heartbreak.

It only took a few minutes to organise for their first get together. Emily refused to call it a date but deep inside, she kind of hoped the pair would find happiness again. Armed with a priority transport slip, Kix hugged her one more time before leaving, a faint bounce in his step as he totally ignored Jesse and Hardcase.  
'Kix…' Jesse started, watching his brother leave.  
'Leave him be, Jesse. Hardcase, take a seat. I'll talk to you when I'm done. Jesse, get in here.' Emily warned, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. 'Now, Jesse.'  
'Coming buir.' Jesse nodded, glancing back at Hardcase as he hurried to obey her call.

#~#~^~#~#

They wasted a month over Kamino, cycling teams down to ensure security and maintaining their blockade over the planet. But finally, after all the waiting and threatening, the Kaminoans had managed to do what had been requested of them. It wasn't exactly as had been hoped but it was more than expected. Instead of simply slowing their aging process back to that of a normal human, the Kaminoan scientists figured out a way to completely stop it until two preselected genetic markers matched up. That would be the signal that their physical and biological ages matched up. Then they would continue to age normally, body and mind in harmony again. The science behind the treatment confounded everyone except for the Kaminoans but they promised it would work.

Having been giving word of the impending repair work, David and Ralph brought their fleets to join the blockade. Lama Su was on the comms to Emily as soon as the extra fleets arrived. She'd just laughed off his concerns, explaining that she'd kept part of their fleet in reserve and telling him to have enough ready to treat the men on those fleets as well. She also warned him what would happen if even one of the clones showed a negative reaction to the genetic fixes.

One-by-one, the ships returned to Tipoca City, disgorging troops for treatment. To speed the process, the Kaminoans had turned the loading bay into a makeshift medcenter, making the job smooth and easy without any unnecessary moving around the city. Apparently Lama Su had been working on his own to hide his activities and that was just fine with the Loyalist GAR.

#~#~^~#~#

Sitting on one of the berths, Rex felt distinctively uncomfortable. The long-neck charged with administering the gene fix to him had asked to check his condition, apparently to ensure the dosage was correct, but Rex still didn't like the idea of sitting around in just his boxers as he was examined. The examination was different, there were no questions about the ugly scars on his back or the long one marring his neck. Instead, he was weighed, given a basic health check and checked for any serious problems but he didn't know exactly what they were looking for.

Eventually the Kaminoan came back, bringing with him a tray carrying a hypospray and six vials for it. Rex had expected two, maybe three shots to get the job done but he didn't really understand most of what was happening.  
'CT-7567...' the long-neck started but Rex wasn't having any more of that.  
'The name is Rex. If you can't remember it, keep your damned mouth shut, Kaminiise.' Rex growled, refusing to be just another number anymore.  
'Are you causing trouble over here Rex?' Rufus chuckled, wandering over to stand beside him.  
'No, buir, just stating my case. I'm not CT-7567 anymore, I'm Rex McKenzie and that's final.' Rex replied, fixing the Kaminoan with a hard glare.  
'That's my boy.' Rufus grinned, resting his hand on Rex's shoulder. 'Don't let anyone push you around, you've earned that name. Don't let anyone try and take either half from you.'  
'That'll never happen, buir. I'll fight for my rights, just like you taught us.' Rex nodded, looking up at Rufus with a grin.  
'I know you will Rex.' Rufus agreed, lowering his hand. 'Now try not to aggravate the Kaminiise, no one wants to be here longer than needed. There's still work to be done.'

Relaxing a little and thinking of the work still to be done, Rex let his mind drift and accepted that this wasn't going to be fun. Eyes closing, he tipped his head to the side and waited, listening to the Kaminoan in front of him. He cursed his weakness when he flinched at the first shot, it felt so cold as it spread through his system. Eyes snapping open at the sound of a brother screaming, Rex whipped around on his bunk, eyes immediately falling on Sketch as he writhed in pain on another cot.

Before Rex could move to his aid, the breath was knocked out of him, his body cramping up in agonizing waves. Gritting his teeth, he tried to ride out the pain but it only got worse. He felt his body slipping and would have hit the floor if not for the Kaminoan standing there. Rex refused to scream, as much as it hurt when he was moved back onto the cot and guided to rest on his side. Writhing in pain, he tried so hard to be strong but he failed, back arching as he screamed.

Hearing his cry, Ahsoka left what she was doing and ran to him, determined to do something to aid him in his time of suffering. There was little she could do though, all the Jedi had been warned about interfering with the course of the treatment. But Ahsoka settled for what little she could do, accepting the bowl of cool water and starting to gently wash the sweat from Rex as he struggled to handle the treatment.

Watching on calmly, the Kaminoan in charge of Rex's treatment administered each shot in turn, never giving him a chance to rest between them. Pushing aside her dislike of the Kaminoans for this, Ahsoka kept trying to cool Rex's body, tormented by his agonized screams as he lost his mind to the treatment. All around her, the temporary medcenter rang with the screams of men going through hell. Ahsoka wanted to help them all but she couldn't, she was only one person and right now she was drawn to help Rex.

Hours passed, the bowl of water had been refilled more times than Ahsoka could remember clearly but eventually the room was quiet, exhausted men sleeping fitfully in whatever position they'd passed out in. Rex slept in a tight ball, hands clamped around his ankles as he slept fitfully. Absolutely exhausted, Ahsoka leant against the cot tiredly, watching him sleep off the last of the treatment process.

#~#~^~#~#

One eye cracking open, Rex made a faint noise of confusion at the orange filling his field of view. His mind was mush, nothing made much sense at all but something told him he'd endured something important. That half-thought was discarded when the orange in front of him moved and he saw orange, blue and white in a confusing swirl. Squeezing his eyes closed and opening them slowly, Rex was relieved with the swirl of colour straightened out into Ahsoka's face.  
'Hey, you're awake Rex.' she smiled, lightly touching his cheek.  
'What the fuck happened?' Rex mumbled, too exhausted to filter his language for the young Jedi.  
'The Kaminoan gene repair treatment. You've been asleep for five hours.' Ahsoka offered, reaching for the canteen attached to his discarded equipment belt. 'Here, you must be thirsty.'  
'Could do with a painkiller too. My head is pounding.' Rex agreed, allowing Ahsoka to help him drink. 'Glad I only gotta do that once.'  
'It's not quite over yet, Rex. You still have to get up and make your way back onto the Houston.' Ahsoka warned, getting the painkiller into his system and lightly stroking his hair.  
'Do I have to?' Rex uttered, eyes closing again.  
'Not right now but soon. We're in the way for the next group to come down.' Ahsoka replied, looking around the room as the first men started sitting up and getting dressed.  
'Did it work?' Rex asked, struggling for a few minutes but he did manage to get up onto his elbows, a good start towards getting off the cot.  
'The Kaminoans said it went as it was supposed to but we won't know if it really worked for a little while yet. If you stop looking older week by week, we'll know it worked.' Ahsoka shrugged, lending her strength to help Rex sit up. 'Take it easy, you'll be feeling off colour for a while yet.'

Hands spread wide to brace his weight, Rex sat there panting for breath. Whatever he'd been through, it had really knocked him around. He felt so weak and shaky, like he'd just done a straight month of hard combat without a break.  
'Tell me we've got some down time. Doubt I could fight off a youngling in this state.' Rex muttered, accepting the bodysuit shirt Ahsoka was holding for him.  
'You'll have all the downtime you need Rex. Emily's not going to be charging into battle until everyone is ready.' Ahsoka promised, rising up onto her toes to help Rex into his shirt.  
'Good, I'm going to need the time.' Rex nodded, thinking nothing of Ahsoka's help. This wasn't the first time she'd helped him after a bad day and it wouldn't be the last.

Admittedly, it was a little weird to need help to get his pants on but between them, they managed to get him dressed and sitting back on his cot. Just that small effort had left Rex shaking, his body at the end of its endurance after the gene repairs. Sitting at his feet, Ahsoka split the armour pile, handing him half while she worked with him to get the other half buckled into place. But first, she braced his weight and hauled him up again, holding onto his shoulders as he fitted his belt and kama along with his culet and codpiece.

Landing on the cot again, Rex smiled tiredly as Ahsoka knelt by his feet and started on her half of the armour pile. She knew what to do, he'd showed her how it all fitted to his body. It wasn't exactly dignified but Rex didn't care, he was too damned tired to really mind what people thought if they saw Ahsoka helping him dress. She knew how and had agreed to be his new second so no one really could say anything anyway.

Ahsoka had learnt her lessons perfectly, fitting his cuisses, poleyns, greaves and boots without pinching his skin in the catches or over compressing the locks. It took Rex a few minutes longer than normal to get the rest of his armour on but he managed it when all he really wanted to do was curl up and sleep.  
'Come on Rex, soon you can sleep. Let's get you back onto the Houston and then you can sleep for as long as you want.' Ahsoka coaxed, guiding him up onto his feet and bracing his weight.  
'Right, I think I can do that.' Rex replied, joining the slow shuffle towards the ramp. 'Be easier if my head would stop spinning.'  
'I've got you Rex, you won't fall. You might be bigger than me but I've got the Force.' Ahsoka grinned, holding him up as they continued towards the ramp.

Summoning a tired smile when Antar glided down the ramp and curled up in his usual place, Rex welcomed his presence gratefully. Humming softly, the graceful silver Draconis did what he could to ease Rex's discomfort. It wasn't a huge help but the soft rhythm did help to ease his pounding headache. But it had the opposite effect on his mutinous stomach. Shoving Ahsoka aside gently, he went down hard, his dignity and position forgotten as he hurled on the deck.  
'Are you okay, Rex?' Ahsoka asked, scrambling back to his side.  
'Yeah…shoulda stayed still a bit longer.' Rex uttered, flinching when he heard someone else throwing up nearby. 'Fuck, this sucks.'  
'The cleaner droids will get that, Rex. Come on, up you get.' Rufus soothed, appearing beside him. 'It's okay, I've got you.'  
'Bad idea. Move and hurl.' Rex groaned, trying to get his body back under control.

Waving Antar off, Rufus gently guided Rex up onto his knees and held him there, looking up at Ahsoka with a faint grin.  
'Ahsoka, I know you're worried about Rex but I've got him now. Could you go keep an eye on Sketch and Punch please? They're moving, but navigation is skewed.' Rufus asked, pointing over to where the pair were crawling roughly towards the ramp. 'I don't want them to accidentally fall off the side.'  
'I'll keep them safe, Rufus.' Ahsoka nodded, resting her hand on Rex's head for a moment before walking away.  
'Just relax, Rex. I'm here, I won't drop you. Shh, settle back, I've got you.' Rufus whispered, easing Rex back against his right arm slowly.

Guiding Rex back in preparation for a gentle lift, Rufus smiled softly as Rex tried to stay awake and face this with at least some small shred of dignity. He tried but the moment Antar took his helmet from lax fingers, Rex slipped back into the peaceful realm of sleep. Trying not to wake him, Rufus draped Rex's arms around his neck and tucked his knees up, lifting him smoothly off the deck. Rex never even stirred, slumping into Rufus and starting to snore faintly as he was carried onboard and back towards his quarters.  
'Sweet dreams Rex, you're through the worst now. Dream of your long and bright future.' Rufus uttered, weaving through the rest of the waiting crew and heading for the turbolifts up the back of the hanger.


	35. Making Headway

Six months into their campaign against the Empire and so far things were looking up for the Loyalist GAR. It hadn't been a perfect campaign, they'd suffered a few losses but they weren't doing too badly for being such a small military in the wider galaxy. Kamino was still holding up their end of negotiations, the Kuat drive yards were on track with the newest super-cruisers and the Corellian shipyards were now producing for the Loyalist GAR as well. The Empire had tried on a few occasions to destroy the Loyalist GAR but with their shipyards and troops now working alongside the Loyalist GAR, the Empire hadn't faired well against them.

The Loyalist GAR knew better than to get cocky though, they still had many years of fighting left to do. In reality, they'd only managed to liberate a small collection of planets; there were still thousands of planets to fight for. They'd claimed Kuat and Corellia, both major shipbuilding worlds, liberated Ryloth yet again and installed a medical facility on Maridun to protect it from the Empire but they all knew it was only a tiny effort.

In reality, Ryloth wasn't an important world. It had no major technological advantages to offer and couldn't be used as a production world for needed supplies but the loss of Ryloth still hurt the Empire. The slave industry had taken a blow as well; no one could get new Twi'lek dancing girls or slaves now that the Loyalist GAR had set up a base there. The Twi'lek people hadn't been thrilled in the beginning but as the Loyalist GAR poured their support into the planet, they started to see benefits.

Maridun was another pointless planet to the Empire but the Loyalist GAR remembered a time when the Lurmen people there had helped in their time of need. Rex, Ahsoka and Aayla negotiated the arrangement, their past with the Lurmen villagers giving them an edge to get what was needed. What they needed wasn't much, just an open space where they could bury a medical center and a share in the medicines of the world. Eventually they were given an area not too far from the Lurmen village and their healers were trained on how to use the medicines native to Maridun. The Lurmen even agreed to help in the medical center, wanting to do their part for the Army that had risen to protect them from the Empire.

Now with things starting to look good for the Loyalist GAR, they eased back on full might missions, instead splitting into the ten fleets and starting to work on their list of planets to liberate. Most were of minor concern to the Empire but some would cause problems and others would just annoy the Emperor and Darth Vader. Tatooine and Naboo were on the list for that reason, the Emperor wanted Naboo and Vader had a connection to both planets. They also wanted Kessel, a nasty little planet right out in the Outer Rim. It wasn't much to look at and again, held no value to the Loyalist GAR but it would hurt the Empire to lose their most secure prison world.

#~#~^~#~#

Feeling pretty good about their latest victory, Aloysius smiled as he boarded one of the gunships for an easy ride down to the capital to discuss the terms of protection for yet another world. He wasn't expecting to be asked to provide much at all here. This was a planet known for holding their own despite being a pacifist planet in the middle of a galactic war.

Trying to make a good show for the rulers, Aloysius had cleaned his armour and polished it to a high shine, making the black plates gleam and really bringing out the silver edging and the purple insignia on the back of his helmet and his chestplate. It was still obvious that Aloysius had been on the front lines of the conflict, his armour was scratched and there was a deep scar along the left side of his helmet, right down to the white undercoat. Curled up around his shoulders, splayed over the dark purple pauldron he wore, Candras kept a sharp eye on their surroundings, ready for action again.

Leaving the gunship on the outer landing pads and transferring to one of the speeders in the domed city itself, Aloysius took a few moments to admire the unusual architecture of this city. Everything was built in cubes, creating something very unique and soothing to the eyes. It was a little strange to see square plants all around them but these people seemed to like them.

Landing at the palace, Aloysius signalled for his team to follow. Ignoring the guards and keeping their weapons to hand, they strode through the ornate halls and into the throne room. The atmosphere was tense inside, the guards had their weapons up and their ruler was on her feet, a storm in her bright blue eyes.  
'Duchess Satine.' Cody uttered, instantly recognising her stately figure and blonde hair. 'I heard she was dead.'  
'That'll teach you to listen to troop rumours Cody.' Aloysius smirked, motioning for the team to wait behind him.  
'But it was Obi-Wan that told me about it.' Cody corrected, calming Owinsai with a touch.

Brushing aside his thoughts about Obi-Wan, Aloysius approached the shapely blonde and bowed respectfully, trying to ease her building anger. Straightening up, he was caught completely off guard to see her so close to his person - they were practically nose to nose. Then she really caught him off balance. Before he could react, her right hand slammed into his face, knocking him off balance with the power behind her strike.

Catching his wobble before he fell, Aloysius sent a calming thought to Candras and held up one hand to ease the concerns of his team even as he lightly cupped his throbbing cheek. For a pacifist, Duchess Satine certainly knew how to swing a good hit.  
'You okay, buir?' Cody asked, stepping forward but wary about getting too close.  
'Yeah, I'm okay Cody.' Aloysius nodded, rubbing his cheek lightly. 'My pride took more of a hit than anything else.'

Hearing that, Satine wound up for another hit but this time Aloysius was ready and quickly caught her hands, stopping her from landing another hit on him.  
'You only get one free hit. The next one will cost you.' Aloysius warned, releasing her hands and stepping back quickly. 'I would have thought that as a pacifist, you would have preferred to be allowed to rule your planet your way. I lost a lot of good sons to give you that chance.'  
'I didn't ask for your involvement.' Satine growled, glaring at Aloysius angrily.  
'So you were happy under Imperial control? Heh, now that's a surprise.' Aloysius replied, shaking his head slowly. 'Oh well, I guess we'll leave you to your enslavement. Won't be long before Mandalore is the only soft target left.'  
'Should I tell the fleet to prepare to break orbit?' Cody asked, watching Aloysius closely.  
'That would be good, Cody. Get the Admiral to check the long range scanners again, too. I wanna know how close the nearest Imp fleet is.' Aloysius nodded, turning his attention back to Satine.  
'Copy that, buir.' Cody nodded, donning his helmet for a private conversation.  
'Soon you'll be back under Imp control and the Loyalist GAR won't come back to rescue you again. Once is enough if you're going to insult our efforts like that.' Aloysius shrugged, turning away from Satine. 'Good luck with that, the Imps hate anyone that has had anything to do with the Loyalist GAR. I doubt your people will survive long.'

Making his way back to his team, Aloysius had no doubt that Satine would change her tune, it was just a matter of putting the cards on the table and letting her imagine what her future would be like when the Empire returned and found no Loyalist GAR presence on Mandalore.  
'wait.' she called, following Aloysius across the floor.  
'You wish to reconsider a friendship with the Loyalist GAR?' Aloysius asked, not turning around but he did stop walking. 'Cody, inform the fleet to hold position. There might still be a reason to stay here.'  
'We are a peaceful people, we are not warriors.' Satine sighed, caught and she knew it. 'I allowed the Empire to set up a garrison here; I thought they would protect us.'  
'That was your first mistake. The Empire isn't about protection. The Empire is about oppression. You would be enslaved, not saved.' Aloysius shrugged, turning back to face her. 'The Loyalist GAR is different. We believe in the old Republic and we're trying to get it back.'  
'But I thought the Empire was using the clones to fight for them.' Satine mused, her attention going to Cody for a moment.  
'They have some of the clones but the greater half of the old GAR came to us when the time was right.' Aloysius replied, glancing over his shoulder again and motioning for Cody.

Coming over to stand beside Aloysius, Cody removed his helmet and dipped his head in respect to Satine. Straightening up, he lifted his chin and let her look, wondering if she remembered that fateful trip on the Coronet and all he'd done to try and protect her.  
'You were with Obi-Wan when he came to my aid with Death Watch, I remember your armour.' Satine remarked, her hard gaze softening as she looked up at him.  
'Yes Ma'am, I served with Master Kenobi. I remember the trip on the Coronet with a certain fondness, it was an interesting trip.' Cody nodded, returning her faint smile. 'Cody Knight, at your service Ma'am.'  
'Don't get too comfortable, ad. If we leave a garrison here, you'll have to pick a worthy senior officer for it because I need you on the Philadelphia.' Aloysius uttered, shaking his head slowly.  
'I know, buir. With your permission, I'll start organising a garrison roster.' Cody nodded, shooting Satine another smile before leaving their meeting.

#~#~^~#~#

A little surprised with their victory in open space, Ralph picked his jaw up and started giving orders, needing to know the status of the fleet before he decided on anything. They'd been on their way to Maridun with a shipment of injured troops when they'd stumbled across a patrolling Imperial fleet. Ralph's fleet had immediately swung into action, protecting the six medical frigates in the middle of his battle group.

Ralph hadn't had to say anything to start the battle, his crews knew exactly what to do to defend the frigates and deal with the threat. Ralph had listened intently to the men around him, picking up the language of war and getting a feel for command. Champion took control for the moment, balancing out the defence of the fleet with a strong offensive line against the Imperials.

But now that the danger was gone, Ralph knew exactly what needed to be done. Keeping the main body of the fleet back to protect the medical frigates from another surprise attack, he sent out the salvage ships they'd picked up along the way. Swarming out of the cruisers, the little two-man ships descended on the debris field, cutting away anything of use and bringing it back to the fleet where it was all tucked away safely. 

Mostly they took the weapons, knowing more would be needed to complete the defence networks protecting their key planets. But if anything else of use spilled out, it was quickly grabbed up and whisked away to be stockpiled. Sometimes they found intact fighters or other small ships and these were given the utmost of care as they were brought back.

Watching from the bridge, Ralph noticed one of the salvage ships had actually gone into the hull of the flagship and came out again a few minutes later with an emergency evac pod nestled in against the hull. It wasn't an escape pod, those had already been accounted for. This was one of the little man-portable evac pods, basically a bubble of atmosphere held in by a complex zip and flap system. Whoever was inside must be important or the salvage team wouldn't have bothered with it. Ordering that particular ship back to the main hanger, Ralph called for a medical team and hustled off the bridge, his interest drawn to the evac pod. 

The timing was just about perfect, the three parts coming together in the main hanger to examine the pod closely. Whoever was inside was lucky to be alive, the outer shell of the pod was scorched in places and very close to failure in a few spots. Sure enough, as soon as the salvage crew deposited the pod on the deck and left to rejoin the salvage efforts, the long burn along the bottom of the pod split, spilling the occupant onto the deck.

For a few minutes, no one dared to speak. They all recognised the man on the deck, his hard body protected in the shining white armour of the new Imperial Stormtroopers. He'd obviously removed his helmet in the pod, the empty bucket now sat forlornly on the deck beside him.  
'It can't be.' one of the medics uttered, shaking his head in wonder. 'We found him.'

Kneeling beside the stricken man, Ralph couldn't believe his eyes. Of all the battles across all the planets and the vast emptiness of the galaxy, he'd been the one to find their missing son. Reaching out with shaking hands, Ralph gently gathered Bly to his chest and checked he was still alive.  
'It's a miracle. Of all the times to pull off the impossible.' Ralph smiled, astounded the Bly had survived such an evac. 'Stat, get him to the infirmary and see what can be done for him. For now, tell no one else of this.'  
'We're on it, buir.' Stat nodded, waving his team forward to retrieve their casualty. 'I can't believe he's alive.'  
'I can't believe he's home.' Ralph agreed, accepting the helping hand back onto his feet. 'Stat, whatever you do, make sure any boys from the old 327th don't see him yet.'  
'On it, buir.' Stat replied, leading his team away with Bly's unconscious form.

Shaking off his shock, Ralph headed back to the bridge to contact Emily and tell her the news. It was a calculated risk to have the conversation while Champion was close but Ralph counted on his attention to his duty to distract him from what was being said.

#~#~^~#~#

Fighting for Kashyyyk, Emily almost screamed when her holocomm went off. They were close to a breakthrough and she couldn't afford to be distracted with anything else. But the Fleet Commander only signal refused to be ignored for long. Snapping an instruction to Fives, she turned and stepped into the briefing room, securing the door behind her.

Activating the comm, she tensed with the mighty Washington shuddered. Their battle wasn't going well, the Imperial forces weren't willing to give up without a fight and they seemed determined to take out the Washington first.  
'Make it fast, Ralph. We're in deep shit over here. Kashyyyk might have been a little ambitious without the new ships.' Emily sighed, flinching at the sound of something exploding on the bridge. 'Spit it out, Ralph.'  
"We found Bly." Ralph blurted out, responding to the power in Emily's voice. "We engaged an Imp fleet on the way to Maridun and he was found by the salvagers in the wreckage."  
'Status?' Emily asked, holding on as the Washington bucked under her feet.  
"Unconscious and below standard conditions but he's alive and currently undergoing treatment." Ralph briefed, tapping at something beside him. "Transmitting prelim medic report."  
'Acknowledged.' Emily nodded, turning around at the desperate call from the bridge. 'We'll continue this later, there's a battle to win here.'

Downloading the transmitted report to her datapad, Emily wiped the record of the file and stalked back onto the bridge. Shoving aside her thoughts of Bly, she retook command of the fleet and started barking new orders. She'd noticed before Ralph's call that the enemy fleet was focusing completely on the Washington, mostly ignoring the rest of her ships. This was something Emily could work with.

Waiting for the reports of cruisers in position, Emily sent them into action even as she ordered the Washington to pull back and turn to present the undamaged belly plates to the enemy fleet. Then she sent out the massed fighter wings onboard the Washington, sending them looping into the battle to deal with the smaller Imp ships and give them a chance to smash the capital ships.

The Imperials never saw the plan coming together until it was too late. Their fleet was cut to pieces by the unexpected manoeuvring of the Loyalist GAR fleet. In one wide line, the six smaller cruisers swept in from the left, destroying anything in their path. It was truly something to watch as the Imperial ships were torn to pieces under the might of the upgraded Venator class ships. Adding insult to injury, the fighter wings turned it into a game, chasing down the fleeing enemy fighters and toying with them before finally destroying the enemy completely.

It hadn't always been so easy to get the boys to really engage with their enemies. At first they had been worried about who they were fighting and reluctant to kill their brothers on the other side. But after a few lost moments and seeing their closer brothers die at the hands of the Empire, they stopped worrying and started to really fight back.

Recalling the fleet and sending out the salvage ships, Emily sighed softly and rested one hand on Fives' shoulder lightly. Shaking his head, Fives looked out over the debris field and frowned. He knew how to lead, he'd done it before but today just hadn't gone to plan for him.  
'I'm sorry, buir. I tried to get us a victory but it just didn't work.' Fives sighed, dropping his gaze.  
'It's not your fault Fives. You did the best you could. We've all had days that haven't quite gone to plan but we keep getting up and trying again.' Emily soothed, understanding his frustrations.  
'I should have been able to deal with the threat while you were busy. I failed you, I couldn't get what you wanted.' Fives uttered, turning his face away.

Even without him saying the words, Emily knew what he was looking for. He felt like he'd done something worthy of punishment, he'd made a choice and pilots had died because of it. Emily disagreed but she knew he wouldn't accept anything short of a suitable punishment for his mistake. She hated to do it but it seemed to help Fives handle the pressures of being her second so she allowed the behaviour to continue.  
'Get off my bridge. I don't want to see you again for the next 24 hours. Chopper can take over your duties while you consider where you went wrong and how you could have assured our victory with fewer casualties.' Emily growled, hating every second of it but she'd have a better second tomorrow afternoon.  
'As ordered, Fleet Commander.' Fives nodded, head down as he took the walk of shame.

Chopper was there in minutes, taking his place at Emily's right shoulder, a little bit behind her and a little to the side. Glancing at him for a moment, Emily nodded faintly and went back to watching the salvage operation still going on amidst the debris.  
'Buir?' Chopper asked, trying to get a read on the situation.  
'Its okay, Chopper.' Emily nodded, dropping her shoulders and turning to him.  
'So if you're not mad, why send Fives off the bridge?' Chopper shrugged, not that he minded the extra duties of coordinating with Emily.  
'Because he needed it, Chopper. He made a bad call and several pilots died. You and I both know he's not to fault for it but he shouldered the blame. He'll bounce back, he just needed to be excused from duty for a little while.' Emily sighed, lightly stroking Gystar's head. 'Gystar, would you mind getting in contact with Kamisana? I don't want Fives left alone and 99 is likely the only one that can get near him.'  
"Of course Emily." Gystar replied, shifting into a more comfortable position.

#~#~^~#~#

'But buir, it's totally unprofessional. You can't be serious.' Rex gaped, deeply uncomfortable with what he was being dragged into. 'Tell me this is all one big joke.'  
'Sorry Rex. It's the only way to know for sure what the Zygerrian slavers are up to. We can't get close, there are too many warships around the planet.' Rufus shrugged, coming around the holotable. 'I know you've been there before Rex, the away team will need your knowledge.'  
'I don't see how that has anything to do with that.' Rex argued, pointing to the image on display above the holotable. 'Since when did that become standard uniform for a mission?'  
'Since it was decided that the best way to blend in was to show off what our slaver spy was able to control.' Rufus replied, resisting the urge to grab Rex and give him a shake to focus him.

Shutting off the holotable for the moment, Rufus leant back against it and held out one hand, waiting for Rex to come to him. Sure enough, Rex came back over and sat beside Rufus, his posture rigid and wary.  
'Rex, you're not going in alone.' Rufus started, hoping to bring Rex around to see the logic of him joining the strike team.  
'You think I'm getting any comfort from knowing Ahsoka will see me wearing that?' Rex countered, looking away sharply.  
'I didn't mean that, Rex.' Rufus chuckled, reaching for his command 'pad. 'I'm not meant to show you this until after you agree to the mission but I figure it can't hurt.'

Accepting the datapad, Rex looked at the list of names signed up for the mission. He was a little surprised to see Barriss was listed but he was even more surprised to see Gree, Fox, Wolffe and Cody had all signed up for the mission. Chewing his bottom lip for a moment, Rex sighed and accepted the stylus Rufus was holding. Mentally kicking his own ass for this, Rex added his name to the list.  
'I still object to the wardrobe but it's got to be done.' Rex sighed, handing back the datapad.  
'Once you're all in costume and heading for the planet, it won't seem too bad.' Rufus promised, draping one arm around Rex's shoulders. 'You'd better go find a temp replacement since your chosen second is going on the mission with you.'  
'I'll split the effort between Punch and Sketch. Both good men but neither is capable of leading without help.' Rex nodded, he trusted the pair but he knew their limits.  
'Alright, I can work with that. Now that you're signed up for the mission, head for the medbay and talk to Coric. He's got part of the pre-mission plan. You're not going to enjoy it but certain features will need to be disguised.' Rufus briefed, dropping his arm. 'You'll be fine, it's all part of getting in without anyone noticing anything obvious about you.'  
'So long as it's nothing permanent.' Rex shrugged, getting to his feet. 'Can't you talk to buir and see if she'll at least let us wear something a little less revealing?'  
'I'll talk to her about it. No promises Rex.' Rufus replied, chasing him out of the briefing room and turning back to the holotable.

#~#~^~#~#

Returning to his quarters to think about the mission he'd signed up for, Wolffe tried hard not to worry about it but he knew it would only take one mistake from any member of the team to completely blow the entire thing. Five clones and two Jedi, the risks of a mistake were high. Of course, they would try and stick to their cover story but seven people all playing roles they weren't comfortable with, something was bound to go wrong.

Lifting his gaze when the door opened, Wolffe managed a little grin as Kix entered and set a pack on the desk before approaching him. Crossing the gap quickly, Wolffe drew him into a tight embrace, inhaling the distinct scent that was Kix. They were keeping it quiet for now, both unwilling to admit their love just in case of a backlash.  
'I'm going to miss you, Kix.' Wolffe uttered, hoping it wasn't obvious that he was nervous.  
'I'll miss you too, Wolffe.' Kix nodded, reluctant to let go but he knew Wolffe would come back.  
'I'm glad you didn't sign up for this. At least Mitterna will have somewhere safe to stay.' Wolffe admitted, easing back a little to look at Kix properly. 'I know you'll keep him safe.'  
'Jahamii wouldn't let me go, she's close to clutching again.' Kix grinned, looking over to where Mitterna and Jahamii were curled up together.

Letting go reluctantly, Kix collected his pack and ushered Wolffe towards their shared berth. Stripping off completely, Wolffe tried so hard to relax but he was edgy about the mission. Okay, in all fairness he was totally against the mission but it still had to be done.  
'Just relax, Wolffe. This will help to hide who you are.' Kix uttered, coming up behind him and drawing him into a loving hug. 'I'll take care of you, just relax.'  
'Fek, this scares the life out of me, Kix. I know I have to do it but I don't want to.' Wolffe uttered, relaxing back into the strength of his lover. 'It's not the mission, although I don't like that bit. I don't want to be in a situation like this around Gree, not after what happened.'  
'Shh, you're getting all worked up over nothing. If he tries anything untoward, tell him you found someone that won't treat you like slime.' Kix soothed, moulding to Wolffe's back and lightly rubbing his chest. 'Tell him if he dares to touch you, you'll break his face and make sure it stays broken for good.'  
'Now who's getting all worked up? I'll have a quiet word in Fox's ear, he won't mind playing blocker to keep Gree away.' Wolffe grinned, fairly sure he could work it to put the majority of the team between him and Gree.  
'Come on, let's get this done.' Kix guided, holding Wolffe steady for a few moments before moving to grab his gear.

Rolling his shoulders and trying to relax, Wolffe listened to Kix behind him, busily preparing the equipment to cover up his most identifying features. They were using a new kind of synthskin, one the medical section of the Loyalist GAR had been working on for the last few months. It went on as a spray, blended with real skin much better and was easily removable when no longer needed. This would be the first real field test though.

The idea was to use the spray to cover tattoos and scars, hiding their most obvious identifying features and making them seem less important to the rest of the galaxy. They would be clearly identifiable as clones but no one would know that they were top officers.  
'You ready?' Kix asked, coming around in front of him again.  
'No point putting it off.' Wolffe sighed, looking down at the Wolfpack tattoo over his chest.  
'Don't worry, this isn't permanent. As soon as you're home after the mission, I'll help you take this off.' Kix promised, checking the spray flow again before starting to cover over the stunning grey design on Wolffe's chest.


	36. Slavers Away

Looking at the team that had gathered for the slaving mission, Emily nodded slowly and gave them all an encouraging smile. It wasn't hard to tell they were all nervous as hell about this mission, the girls were struggling to meet her eyes and her sons, they'd fallen back onto their training and stood to attention. In truth, Emily didn't like the plan either. There were too many variables to worry about but it was the only way to know for sure what the Zygerrian slavers were up to and where they stood now.

It all depended on Barriss being able to play her role. If she failed, the rest would come apart like a house of cards. Ahsoka and the boys were just playthings to Barriss, if she played her role properly. If she didn't, her six slaves would be on the auction block before anyone could react. Ahsoka had an easy enough role; she just had to pretend to be Barriss' handmaiden, always there for whatever was needed of her. The boys had more defined roles and anyone stepping beyond their roles would be punished for their daring.

There was no time to change the plan now, either the team succeeded or failed from this moment on. Everything else was in place, now they had to take the big step and do it. Barriss' cover story was in place, rumours circulated about her prowess as a slaver and vague descriptions of her personal collection. A suitably luxurious yacht had been procured and modified to suit the needs of the away team. These modifications included hidden weapon caches, extra emergency supplies and an upgraded shield system along with less important details like a new coat of dazzling green and silver paint and decorative golden detailing.

Knowing that this couldn't be avoiding anymore, Emily stepped forward and made an effort to relax, trying to give the away team the impression that she had full confidence in the mission. Her doubts had to stay private or they wouldn't go through with it.  
'Okay, there's just one last thing to be decided. Ahsoka and Barriss know their roles in all of this but you five have yet to be given your exact responsibilities within the slave group. Its random choice boys pick a number between one and five.' Emily nodded, wondering how this would turn out.  
'Two.' Cody replied, glancing at Aloysius for guidance.  
'Five.' Rex shrugged, really confused now.  
'Four.' Gree nodded, wondering what this was all about.  
'One.' Wolffe grinned, going along with whatever random plan this was.  
'I guess that means I'm three.' Fox chuckled, left with nothing else and hoping for the best.  
'Okay, now that you've decided your roles, here are the costumes. No switching, everything is as it must be for this to work.' Emily guided, indicating the five soft bags at her feet.

Accepting the small bags from Emily, the five turned and headed for the change room she pointed them towards. Whatever the numbers were all about, it had something do with the bags they now had. Stepping behind the heavy curtain hanging from the open side of a parked gunship, the five split and opened their bags to see what they were wearing for the mission.

Listening to the complaints from the gunship, Emily chuckled and turned her attention to the waiting girls. Turning slightly, she beckoned Fives over with his burden before turning her full attention back to the young Jedi.  
'Ahsoka, you're going to have to tread a fine path. In the rankings of the slave team, you're on top but you still have to be subservient to Barriss. It's not going to be easy but we all have faith you can do it.' Emily continued, accepting the smaller bag from Fives and handing it over.  
'You can count on me, Emily.' Ahsoka nodded, taking her costume and heading for another gunship with a curtain for privacy.  
'Barriss, you've got the hardest job of all. You have to remember to be a snob, to be pushy and to not care if something happens to one of your slaves. The only time you can care is when someone tries to take one of them from you. Remember your cover ID, you are Arinta Tumos. Barriss Offee no longer exists.' Emily coached, taking the long dress bag and handing it over.  
'I am Arinta Tumos, nomadic slaver with a taste for the strong-willed of the galaxy. I back down to no one.' Barriss recited, putting a growl in her voice as she turned and headed to change.

Emerging from their gunship, Barriss and Ahsoka looked completely different. Barriss looked beautiful, enticing, threatening and dangerous all in combination. Dressed in an ankle length purple dress with long sleeves, she glided across the floor in her low black heels, flashing the sparkling straps with every step. Her long blue-purple hair hung loose around her face, graceful curls flying free. Around her neck, she wore a beautiful gold chain with three blood red stones dangling from it. She wore matching bracelets and earrings as well, making her look like someone who could afford to keep many slaves.

At her side, Ahsoka looked less comfortable in her strappy blue heels but she still managed to look graceful. She wore a bright blue mid-thigh length skirt and a skimpy little singlet with wide straps that left her mid-rift bare. She wore a simple gold ornament around her head, delicate chains swirling up her montrals to golden peaks and the same decoration swirling over her lekku. Finishing it off, she wore a braided black collar with a small gold tag with Barriss' cover ID engraved in the surface.

All eyes went to the male changing room when Rex was rather unceremoniously thrown out to land in an awkward pile on the deck. Getting up quickly, he tried to get back out of sight but his brothers weren't letting him inside. Swallowing his nerves, he turned and walked over to Emily, absolutely humiliated by his costume - or lack of one really. All he had to wear were a pair of low cut black leather boots and a pair of knee-length pants so tight that he'd had to take his boxers off just to get the accursed things done up properly.  
'The other four are refusing to come out. They claim true indecency.' Rex uttered, glaring at Fives when he started laughing. 'Shut up Fives. Of the five, I'm actually wearing the longest pants.'  
'boys, you have one minute to get out here before I come in and make you come out!' Emily warned, starting towards the gunship. 'Save the embarrassment and get out here!'

The minute mark came and went without any sign of the other four coming out of the gunship. Beckoning over some backup, Emily reached out and yanked the release cord, dropping the curtain off the side of the gunship. Stepping in quickly, Rufus and Jean-Claude grabbed the other four and forced them out, marching them over to join the rest of their team.

Gree, Wolffe and Fox were all wearing mid-thigh length pants, in the same extremely tight black fabric as Rex but whereas he had nothing else on, they were all wearing extra pieces. Gree had black leather bracers on, the laces just visible along the insides. Fox had matching leather cuffs around his upper arms, the laces visible on the outside. Wolffe wore mid-forearm length fingerless black leather gloves that fitted every curve and line of his hands and sinfully sleek black leather greaves that laced up along the back. Completing their look, they were all wearing the same low cut black leather boots.

But Cody, poor Cody, his shorts were only just long enough to cover his ass and keep his package from falling out the side. They were low cut at the waist and they left absolutely nothing to the imagination.  
'You picked it Cody, live with it.' Emily shrugged, returning to the main group.  
'You didn't tell us what the numbers meant.' Cody protested, trying to hide his manhood behind his hands. 'I can't walk with these on, my nuts are crushed.'  
'We're all in that boat, Cody.' Wolffe replied, ducking behind Aloysius to rearrange his equipment for more comfort.  
'Talk about tight, there's not even room for underwear in these.' Gree nodded, trying to get some more genital space in his pants.

Shaking her head slowly, Emily turned and accepted five small leather cases from Fives. Turning back to Barriss, she handed the cases over and waited to see what she would do. Handing four to Ahsoka, Barriss opened the fifth and nodded, satisfied with what she was seeing inside. Lifting out the braided cord collar, she took a moment to admire the gold tag on the front with her alias engraved around a rather beautiful green gem.

Fingers tightening on the braided band, she stepped up and firmly grabbed Gree's arm, her hard eyes and strong grip getting the message across. Dropping his gaze, Gree went down to his knees, resting his palms on strong thighs and keeping his back straight. Coming around behind him, Barriss gave him no time to think as she slipped the collar around his neck and buckled it into position firmly but without cutting off his breath.  
'Thank you, Mistress.' Gree uttered, bowing his head and trying to relax into his strange new situation and prepare for the mission ahead.

Holding out her hand, Barriss waited for Ahsoka to hand over the second collar. Coming back up on Barriss' right and slightly behind her, Ahsoka took the empty case and handed over another one, attentive to her new duties and ignoring the nearly naked men in front of her. Looking at the attached gem for a moment, Barriss handed back the case and stepped forward to drag Fox to his knees.

Standing back and watching the way Barriss forced her will on the volunteers; Emily nodded slowly and nuzzled Gystar softly. So far Barriss was proving to be the right choice to lead the mission. She wasn't afraid to use force to get her point across, she knew what had to happen and she wasn't taking any excuses for misbehaviour. One by one, she shoved her assigned slaves to their knees and buckled the collars into place, marking them as hers.

Waiting until Barriss had made it perfectly clear what would be expected of the group while they were on the mission; Emily stepped forward and rested on hand on Barriss' shoulder lightly.  
'Well done, Arinta. Few possess the ability to tame men like these. But now you must keep them subservient to you alone. Take this and use it as you see fit.' Emily nodded, unhooking a different weapon from her belt.  
'This is a very nice shock whip.' Barriss smiled, accepting the golden hilt and thumbing the activation switch.

Almost instantly, her six slaves cowered away from the glowing yellow length and they flinched when it cracked over Rex's bowed head. Deactivating the weapon and securing it to her belt, Barriss nodded and reached up to stroke Pesonai lovingly.  
'I have another weapon against unruly slaves. Pesonai tells me that she is able to cause pain without contact if she is granted permission by those she will have to target.' Barriss offered, most of her attention on her silver beauty.  
'I had thought it wise to keep Pesonai on the Seattle but perhaps allowing her to go would improve your status.' Emily mused, wary but interested. 'cause pain, how?'  
'You have my permission, Mistress.' Gree offered, putting his trust in Barriss again.

Head coming up, Pesonai turned her attention to Gree and gave a sharp hiss, focusing completely on him. Slumping forward, Gree braced his hands on the deck and groaned in pain, every muscle tensed as white hot agony raced through his body. Crying out in pain, he slumped over, panting harshly as the mind numbing pain faded away again.  
'Oh, like that. Whatever that was.' Emily blinked, rather surprised by the effective control measure Pesonai provided.  
'It seems that with permission to enter, Pesonai can trick the pain receptors of her target into giving false responses.' Barriss replied, a little disturbed by the idea but if it worked for the mission, she could handle it.

Getting back onto his knees, Gree calmed his breathing and bowed low, accepting the reprimand without a word. Shocked by the results but seeing how it would make Barriss seem all the more dangerous and impressive, the rest of the team gave their permission and felt the bite of Pesonai's abilities. It hurt like hell but it was worth it for the mission.

Swallowing the bile in her throat at the thought of what had been discovered, Emily waited for everyone to settle again before looking down at her sons, still kneeling on the cold deck.  
'Each of you will fulfil a specific role around Arinta. Ahsoka is the senior slave and handmaiden so she will be giving some instructions to you but you must always listen to Arinta first.' Emily briefed, watching the group as they knelt there silently.  
'Now we find out the last bit of information.' Barriss uttered, waiting to see what each of the clones would be doing for her.  
'Wolffe, you are her champion. Whenever there is a fight and Arinta is challenged, it will be your duty to step up and fight on her behalf. Cody, you are her entertainment. Whenever Arinta asks, it is your duty to amuse her with song and dance. Fox, you are her enforcer. Whenever Arinta feels one of the slaves requires a minor attitude adjustment, it will be your duty to hand it out. Gree, you are her bodyguard. Whenever Arinta leaves her ship, you will stay right there beside her and defend her person if anyone threatens her. Rex, you are her caterer. Whenever Arinta so demands, you will provide the finest meal you can for her and her guests but never for the slaves. They will only get the leftovers once Arinta and any guests have had enough.' Emily listed, absolutely no doubt in her mind that they would all take to their jobs and make the best of the situation.

Bowing low and acknowledging their new roles, the five clones were subdued and quiet, accepting their new roles and slipping into a subservient mindset. Outside they were calm but everyone knew they were seething inside. And Emily was about to make it even worse with one last bit of information for Barriss.  
'Remember Arinta, as a slaver you don't really care about your slaves. You don't worry about their comfort or their health unless you intend to sell them. Names are a bad idea, using them shows that you care about their welfare and that's not good. If you need to identify them, either use the colours in their tags or even more impersonal, their numbers.' Emily guided, noticing the flinches that her sons tried to hide.  
'I understand Emily.' Barriss nodded, casting her mind back for a moment. 'Wolffe is 3636, Cody is 2224, Fox is 1010, Gree is 1004 and Rex is 7567.'  
'Very good, Arinta.' Emily praised, stepping back. 'Your mission is a go.'  
'Take a few moments to say your goodbyes. I'll be on the ship.' Barriss offered, turning and walking away.

Getting to their feet as soon as she was away, the five near naked clones called their Draconis back, welcoming them back into favourite places and reminding them to be careful of the synthskin disguises. No one really wanted to say goodbye but for the safety of the mission, these dear friends and treasured companions had to stay behind. Whispering promises to be safe and try to reach out to them if they could, the men sent their Draconis to temporary caretakers before heading for the rather elegant ship.

#~#~^~#~#

Landing on Zygerria, Arinta glided down the ramp smoothly, her impressive slave group following along behind her obediently. Gree walked just behind her on her right side, alert for any signs of danger while still playing the diligent slave. Ahsoka stayed on her left, hanging back a little but always there when Arinta needed something. Wolffe stuck in behind Arinta, powerful body on display as a warning to any that wished to challenge her power. Behind Wolffe, Fox kept a sharp eye on his brothers, making sure they were behaving and ready to hand out punishment as was required. Rex and Cody stayed close to Fox, their positions not allowing them to fight back if things went to hell. Instead they kept their eyes down and held their places, Cody to Fox's left and Rex on his right.

Almost immediately, people started talking about the mysterious woman with such incredible slaves. They questioned how she could control five obvious soldiers without using shock collars or other such technology. Knowing it would hurt but deciding it was worth the risk, Rex purposefully broke position, wandering over to admire something at one of the stalls. Almost instantly, Pesonai locked onto him and flooded his body with pain, dropping him to the dust with a scream. Given the signal, Fox and Cody ran over and retrieved Rex, dragging him up and lugging him back to the main group.  
'Did it work?' Rex uttered, slung limply between his brothers.  
'People are starting to give us a wide berth.' Cody whispered, careful not to be seen talking.  
'It was worth it.' Rex muttered, regaining his feet and returning to his position.  
'7567, you were warned what would happen if you stepped out of line.' Arinta growled, turning to him.

Gulping softly when Arinta went for the shock whip on her belt, Rex did the only thing he could to ensure Arinta's reputation was secured. Letting his body go limp, he dropped to the ground, begging forgiveness as he grovelled at her feet. He knew he probably looked ridiculous but he had to play his part.  
'Please Mistress, forgive this slave. Please, please don't hit me, Mistress. Please, I've learnt my lesson, Mistress.' he begged, hoping it sounded like something a slave would say to avoid punishment.  
'You won't worm out of it this time 7567.' Arinta replied, shock whip crackling to life.

Rex had faced torture in the past, he'd been trained to endure it for hours on end and had faced the Zygerrian slavers before but whoever made that shock whip for Arinta had known that too. They'd upped the power of the whip, turning it into something that was really dangerous and extremely painful. He should have been able to withstand this but four strikes on his back and he was flat on the ground, struggling to find the energy to even move.  
'1010, pick him up and get him moving.' Arinta barked, turning away from Rex and walking on.  
'Still think it was worth it?' Fox uttered, dragging Rex up again and hurrying after Arinta.  
'Maybe not.' Rex conceded, feeling like hell after just that minor punishment. 'Someone tinkered with the whip.'  
'Shh, we'll talk about it later.' Fox mumbled, getting back into position and making Cody help drag Rex along at the back of the group.

Now people were really talking about Arinta and her slaves. Those that had seen her show of power were amazed that someone so young could control five such wilful slaves. Slaves recoiled in fear from her, terrified by her show of power. Exactly as Rex had warned his brothers, slavers came and tried to negotiate for ownership of the five but Arinta stayed strong, refusing to sell to these slime balls. She had a bigger target in mind. She requested to speak with the Queen to make a deal that would enable the Zygerrians to capture their own clone slaves.

Now that got some attention. It made the five brothers feel sick but it got them to their first goal - meeting the Zygerrian Queen. From her, they would have a better chance of finding out the information they wanted. Finding his feet again, Rex returned to his spot on Fox's right and tried to calm the fears of his brothers without saying anything. He'd tried to tell them all they needed to know but he hadn't known enough to completely ease their fears. Even the extra information Ahsoka could add hadn't helped much.

Guided through the palace, everyone knew that their mission was getting even more dangerous with every step. If Ahsoka or Rex were recognised, the mission was a bust. Ahsoka was the real risk, Rex had taken a hair growth stimulant and had his longer hair cut into a new style so he wasn't as easily recognisable. Wearing so little and playing the good slave, he was the total opposite of the man that had come here with Kenobi but the risk was still there.

Approaching the throne room, the guards tried to separate Arinta from her slaves but she wasn't having it. Growling low in her throat, she lashed out at them with her shock whip, pushing the guards back and continuing to walk. They got the message and let her be, watching her slaves and waiting for the trouble to begin.

Entering the throne room, Arinta bowed her head respectively to the Zygerrian woman sitting on the throne and moved forward. Staying near Arinta, the slave group dropped to their knees and bowed low, showing her strength without effort. Feeling the light touch on his shoulder, Gree braced his position and allowed Arinta to use him as a seat, something that few slaves could be trained to do safely.  
'So, you are this Arinta Tumos I have heard rumours about.' the Queen remarked, vibrant purple eyes sweeping the small group.  
'I am, your Most Royal Highness.' Arinta replied, stroking Pesonai idly. 'I thank you for granting me this audience.'  
'When I heard you had managed to enslave five clones, I was surprised and most interested to hear how you managed such a thing.' the Queen nodded, her gaze falling on Cody's presented back. 'Such fine specimens, too.'  
'It was not easy to capture them. Breaking them to my will was a long and very trying process but they are totally under my control now. They have their duties and they perform magnificently.' Arinta shrugged, totally comfortable on Gree's back.  
'I have heard that clones can be extremely strong willed yet I see no slaving collars. So how do you keep control of them?' the Queen asked, still watching Rex.

Seeing an opening to boost Arinta's power, Cody moved out of position, stretching his back and lifting his gaze from the floor for just a moment. Arinta saw it and cracked her whip, the tip striking Cody between the shoulders. Gritting his teeth, he refused to drop, knowing Pesonai would have to show her skills and make Arinta seem unbeatable. Sure enough, the silver Draconis intruded into his mind and fired off his pain receptors, driving a scream from him as he dropped to the floor and rolled onto his side.

Ignoring Cody now that he'd been properly chastised, Arinta looked up at the Queen and smiled, lightly stroking Pesonai's sleek back.  
'I found this creature on one of my slaving operations. Not sure what it is exactly but it works wonders for keeping slaves in line. I don't have to pay complete attention to them, this creature knows when one steps out of line and punishes them for it.' Arinta explained, mentally apologising to Pesonai for disrespecting her position.  
'And can anyone use that creature to control your slaves?' the Queen asked, spotting a weakness and trying for it.  
'No, only I can. This creature has bonded to me and only listens to my orders. I have tried to use her abilities to gain new slaves but that is only effective in about half of the attempts. The last success was the Togruta. I was hoping for the clone she was with but she has proven to be a useful acquisition.' Arinta replied, slamming shut the weakness the Queen had tried for.

Coming down from her throne, the Queen approached Rex slowly, gaze sweeping over his bowed back appreciatively. Rex stayed perfectly still, terrified that she would recognise him if he moved at all. There was still a chance she'd notice something about him but he was hopeful that she wouldn't be able to tell him from any other clone.  
'They are obviously very strong men. Very good muscle definition, powerful shoulders and exquisite thighs. You could make a fortune selling these men as pleasure slaves.' the Queen praised, daring to touch Rex lightly.  
'I am still having some trouble with 7567 over there. He is proving to be a handful but I will break him.' Arinta shrugged, waving one hand dismissively. 'But as a cook, 7567 cannot be beaten. I don't know where he learnt but he produces the finest food I have sampled in a while.'  
'You allow a slave to cook for you?' the Queen blinked, stunned by the admission.  
'He knows better than to try and poison me through the food. Every meal he cooks, I make one of his brothers taste everything first. He tries to kill me and one of the other clones will die.' Arinta replied, the warning very clear to Rex.  
'What about the rest of them?' now the Queen was very interested in Arinta's slaves.  
'This one, 1004, makes for an effective bodyguard. His military training has proved to be most useful. 3636 is even more advanced with his combat training, he will fight on my orders and has yet to lose a battle. 1010 keeps the rest from causing trouble while I am busy. 2224 is more for my entertainment. Somewhere along his life he learned to sing and dance.' Arinta replied, indicating each of her slaves. 'And this one, well she's not much of a cook or a performer but as a handmaiden, she does a reasonable job. She could use some more training but for now, she can do what is needed of her.'

Getting up, Arinta moved around Gree to stop beside Cody. Coming up out of his low bow, Cody lifted his chin slightly and picked a song that he hoped wouldn't offend anyone. Written by one of his brothers, it told the story of a lost warrior, separated from his brothers and far from his home. Rising and falling smoothly, he searched for a familiar face or a friendly voice, anything to help him find his way home again. Turned away time and time again, the song took on a note of desperation as one lonely voice tried to find a place in the galaxy where he belonged. He searched and hoped, falling and getting back up again every time he was knocked down. Hope faded into sorrow as the song fell into despair when no one answered his call. A haunting melody, it kept calling out, weaker and weaker before one lonely soldier faded into obscurity, forgotten and abandoned.

His reward was simple but already Cody was starting to understand what Rex had been talking about. He felt so low and helpless, a simple touch on his hair helped to remind him that this was all for show. He was loved and cared for, he just had to pretend otherwise. It wasn't much, a few moments of contact but it was enough for now.  
'I will not sell these slaves but I will teach your slaving guild how to capture clones. The Empire is no friend of mine but they do pay handsomely for captured Loyalist GAR clones and the Loyalist GAR is the same for Imperial clones.' Arinta bartered, returning to sit on Gree's back.  
'I believe we can come to an agreement on this. For now, kindly enjoy the comforts of the palace and see if there is anything that interests you in the markets.' the Queen offered, her admiring gaze now settled on Wolffe's back.  
'Thank you, Your Most Royal Highness.' Arinta replied, getting up and bowing again.

Turning and striding back towards the entrance, Arinta never even bothered with the signal for her slaves to follow. They heard her move and hurried to follow, bowing low to the Queen one more time before turning and retaking their positions around their Mistress.

#~#~^~#~#

The apartment they were shown into was overflowing with luxury from the massive canopy bed for Arinta to the paintings on the walls and the soft carpet under foot. But there was one room without any of the opulence of the rest of the apartment and it was clear who was meant to sleep in there.

This room had only two small windows, both set high in the wall and covered with protective grilles. The door was fitted with a security shield that only had one control panel and it was outside the room. Inside, there was a thin mattress on the floor and nothing else to protect the occupants from the hard duracrete floor. Filing inside obediently, the six slaves looked around their room as Arinta brought up the shield to keep them contained.

Padding over to the pitiful mattress on the floor, Fox sat down and sighed, not really surprised that he could feel the floor through the mattress. It was so thin and floppy that it would offer absolutely no protection against the cold, hard floor underneath.  
'Well, if we weren't friends before hand, we certainly will be after this.' Wolffe remarked, moving around to the other side of the mattress.  
'Cody should go in the very middle. At least that way, he'll be warmer. His pants don't offer much in the way of protection.' Rex suggested, coming around to sit beside Wolffe.  
'So that'll put me in behind Fox.' Gree nodded, sitting and getting a feel for the mattress.  
'What about Ahsoka?' Cody asked, crawling onto the pathetic mattress and slumping down. 'Am I even on the mattress?'  
'If she's staying in here with us, she goes in the middle.' Fox shrugged, nudging Gree over and stretching out on his side.  
'Wouldn't it make more sense to put the bodyguard on the outside and enforcer towards the middle?' Ahsoka asked, watching the men try and find a comfortable position.  
'Ahsoka's probably right. Who knows when the Mistress will want her bodyguard.' Rex nodded, stretching out beside Cody.  
'Well, at least it's not a long fall to the floor if Fox can't stay still.' Gree mused, elbowing Fox and settling on the edge of the mattress.  
'Here, there's still room for you Ahsoka.' Cody offered, rolling over and shuffling back against Rex a little more.  
'Quit moving this way, Rex or I'll fall off.' Wolffe warned, planting one foot on the floor to brace his spot.  
'Move your arm Fox, I'm coming in.' Ahsoka grinned, leaving her heels by the wall and crawling onto the mattress.

Wriggling and squirming, the group finally settled on the terrible mattress. It was definitely a tight fit but somehow they made it work and relaxed. Tentative about where to rest his right hand, Fox tried a few positions before Ahsoka reached back and grabbed his wrist, drawing his arm around her waist lightly.  
'I don't mind this, Fox. Just keep your hand right here and we'll be okay.' Ahsoka uttered, resting his hand on her stomach lightly.  
'Okay, I can handle this.' Fox whispered, nervous as hell about holding a woman for the first time in his life. 'Fek, this is weird.'  
'Shh, rest while there's time. Who knows what will happen next.' Rex muttered, curled up against Cody's back and enjoying the familiarity of the contact.  
'Mmm, you're so warm Fox.' Ahsoka mumbled, burrowing deeper into his chest.  
'Relax vod, just relax. Let her snuggle, it's probably the only contact she'll get.' Cody soothed, reaching out to rest his hand on Fox's arm. 'Enjoy it, we all know you've never had a proper relationship with anyone.'  
'Thanks for the vote of confidence there, Cody.' Fox grumbled, pressing back against Gree and closing his eyes.

Watching the group settle and drift off to sleep, Arinta smiled faintly and left them to rest. Right now, she didn't really need any of them around and at least locked up in there, they were safe from harm. And really, they did look cute all curled up together in one big happy squeeze. She still felt uncomfortable about what she had to do to them but she couldn't afford to show weakness. She had to be brutal on them and hope they would forgive her later.


	37. Mistakes Made

Wandering through the marketplace, everyone on their best behaviour, Arinta and her slaves examined what was available and picked up supplies, just blending in with the rest of the people around them. Glancing around without lifting his head, Cody spotted something that he really didn't like. Even at this distance, it was impossible to miss the trouble that had just arrived on Zygerria and threatened to blow their mission.

For just a second, Cody locks eyes with the stranger down the other end of the market but that one second is enough. Recognition flashed between them and the stranger started yelling about runaway clones and Jedi traitors.  
'Oh fuck.' Cody uttered, snapping his gaze back to his brothers. 'Oh fuck.'  
'We've been made.' Rex warned, catching the shouts behind them. 'Run!'  
'Go! Go! Go!' Wolffe snapped, scooping Ahsoka onto his shoulders and sprinting away.  
'Where?' Gree asked, slinging Barriss over his back and bolting with his brothers.

Full sprint through the market, the team tried to think of a place to hide. They couldn't go back to the ship; Cody had made a detour to check that option only to find it swarmed with guards. Instead, with no place to hide, they just kept moving, trying to stay one step ahead of the guards. Refusing to be burdens, Ahsoka and Barriss kicked off their heeled shoes and ran hard, working to keep up with their friends. Barriss stumbled a few times before they reached a pitiful hiding place among several parked ships.

Hunkered down and panting hard, they tried to figure out a new plan to survive this nightmare. Remembering the one hope he'd been carrying, Gree unlaced his left bracer and slipped out a small emergency comm. He didn't bother trying to connect with anyone; he just hit the alert button and laced it back out of sight. Hopefully no one else would notice it. Finding a sharp edge on one of the ships around them, Barriss cut through her skirt and ripped at the expensive fabric until she'd created a miniskirt of sorts. It was rough and uneven but it gave her full mobility.

Constantly watching for approaching guards, the team tried to come up with another way off this planet and back to the rendezvous with the main fleet. Failing that, they tried to work out a safe place to hide until the fleet arrived to rescue them.  
'Guys, we're forgetting something. Ahsoka hasn't got Harisy with her. Vader has been able to sense her presence for the last week. He has to be coming for her.' Barriss warned, guiding Pesonai onto her arms.  
'I'm surprised he's not here already.' Ahsoka mused, looking up at the sky for a moment.  
'What are we going to do now? We can't stay here much longer.' Cody hissed, spotting guards nearby. 'We have to move now.'  
'Gree, the beacon. Give it to Pesonai. If we're captured, she'll have the best chance of escaping. If we're caught with the beacon, we'll all be killed.' Barriss directed, holding out her hand for their only emergency contact with home base.  
'Fly Pesonai. You're our only hope of going home.' Gree uttered, pulling out the comm and handing it over. Taking the comm between her teeth ever so carefully, Pesonai worked it into one of her cheek pouches where it would be safe no matter what. Turing back to Barriss, the beautiful silver lightly nuzzled her best friend before launching skyward and flying away from the team as fast as she could.  
'Hurry, this way! We've got guards behind us.' Rex snapped, keeping his head down as he led the group away from the guards as fast as possible.

#~#~^~#~#

Constantly on the move, working as a team to stay ahead of the danger lurking around every corner, the exhausted group of seven slept where they could and stole food just to survive. So far they'd managed to avoid capture for three days, hardly any time really but it was a good start. Now they rested in a small cave just below the palace walls. It hadn't been easy getting down here but they were safe and out of sight for at least a little while.

Barriss was looking even worse, her once beautiful dress now more like the two piece outfit Ahsoka was wearing. One of her sleeves was currently serving to bind a wound on Cody's arm and the other was tied around Wolffe's thigh to protect a whip burn there. The rest of her dress was either tied over bloody feet or had been torn off during their struggle to survive.

Sitting nearest the entrance to their hideaway, Rex shivered as a cold breeze whistled past him and deeper into the cave. Bringing his knees up to his chest, he winced when the burn on his right thigh pulled painfully. He'd been lucky to escape that one; three Zygerrian guards had managed to catch him on a food run and had tangled him up in their whips. Barriss had come to his rescue, using her stronger whip to drive the guards back and allowing Rex to escape.

Further back in the cave, huddled together in an attempt to stay warm, the rest of the team were feeling pretty damned miserable. They were all feeling the effects of their time on the run, everyone as hungry, tired and sore but they couldn't give up yet.  
'How much longer do you think we'll have to do this?' Wolffe asked, trying to find a more comfortable position on the hard floor.  
'I don't know how much longer I can do this.' Fox admitted, hanging his head sadly. 'I just wanna go home.'  
'We all do vod.' Cody uttered, shuffling over and wrapping one arm around Fox's shoulders lightly. 'Be strong, buir will find us soon.'  
'Come back here Rex, you shouldn't be so close to the edge.' Gree coaxed, far too busy trying to keep Ahsoka and Barriss warm to drag his brother back to the group.

Making his way back to the group, Rex sunk down between Fox and Wolffe, hissing when he scraped his back on a protruding rock. Shuffling closer, Wolffe rested his head on Rex's shoulder, desperate for any kind of comfort right now. Understanding completely, Rex slid one arm around Wolffe's back and held him close, trying to be strong when all he wanted to do was fall apart.

Heads coming up at the sound of something outside their hideaway, Gree released the girls and went for the only weapon they'd managed to steal. The Zygerrian blaster felt strange in his hands but it was better than being totally defenceless.

Catching onto Gree's plan without a word spoken, the exhausted clones came up behind him, finding the strength to push on even when things were bleak. Before they could come around the slight bend in the cave, they heard something clatter and looked down. Who or whatever was around the corner was smart. They'd thrown a stun grenade into the cave.

Scrambling back, the men knew what had to be done. Grabbing Ahsoka and Barriss, they squeezed up against the back wall, protecting the girls under their bulk. Curled up, hands over ears, they waited for the bang. Sure enough there was a bang but it hardly seemed like a bang from a usual stun grenade.

Leaning back slightly, Fox sniffed the air and paled as he got a whiff of a familiar chemical odour. It didn't take long for his brothers to smell it either; it was a smell all clones knew. Within seconds, it was all over for the seven members of the away team. The knockout gas got to them all, even despite Barriss' attempts to keep it back. Slumped in a heap, they were helpless against whatever plans the Zygerrians had for them.

#~#~^~#~#

Waking with a start, Cody immediately knew he didn't like this situation. He was in a small, exposed cage, hands bound behind his back. Sitting up carefully, he examined his surroundings. He was outside and still on Zygerria judging by the terrain and flora he could see. The front wall of the cage was set into some kind of steel wall but beyond that Cody could see more walls, one going off at a sharp right and the other going straight ahead.

The front wall dropped free and Cody paused, really not sure what to think of this. But his desire to find his brothers was strong and he left the cage, moving slowly into the maze of durasteel. He jumped when the door to the cage slammed shut again. There was no going back now.  
'What do you want?' Cody called, dropping to the ground and starting to wriggle. Using one wall for leverage and straining against the tension on his wrists, he managed to work his arms under his butt and then threaded his legs through before standing again.

Moving quickly, he reached the sharp right turn he'd seen and peeked around. What he saw made his blood run cold. It was a hologram, live action going off what Rex and Ahsoka had told him about the Zygerrians. This just proved how evil these beasts were. The footage clearly showed Gree hanging from some kind of metal frame as three of these Zygerrian slavers went at him hard with whips.  
'So that's the way you want to play it, huh? You got more than you bargained for with me, you assholes.' Cody snarled, eyes closing for a moment as the lessons he got from Aloysius overtook his mind. 'Let's play!'

Before he could move off though, the holofootage changed to reveal another unidentifiable section of the maze he was in. This time they showed Rex. He was hanging from his wrists, a Zygerrian shock collar around his neck. Before Cody's eyes, one of the guards approached and gave Rex a five second jolt. The holo was silent but Cody's mind supplied the scream Rex gave.  
'Is that the best you've got!' Cody taunted, refusing to be cowed by this display. He would find his brothers and he would free them.

Again the holofootage changed, revealing Fox's predicament. He was in a small cage, probably not much bigger than the one Cody had woken in just before. But whereas his had been reasonably safe, Fox's was hooked up to a generator of sorts. Every time he touched the walls or top panel, he got a nasty jolt.  
'We are clones! We will never be defeated!' Cody roared, his blood up and the spirit of his parents burning within him.

Not even bothering to wait and see what other sick tortures the Zygerrians were planning, Cody took off running into the maze. Trusting in his sense of direction and listening for any signs of his brothers, he moved quickly through the winding paths. At every corner, he did something to help him keep direction. He would pause and smack his binders against the wall on the right of every corner he took, leaving a clear scratch on the dull grey metal.

Coming around another corner, Cody ducked and whipped back out of sight, narrowly avoiding the fire from two guards that were standing just around from his position. Thinking for a second, Cody launched back out of hiding, running hard at the pair. Driving his shoulder into one, he turned and got his bound wrists around the neck of the other. Yanking sharply down, he rammed his knee into the face of the second and flicked him aside before going for the dropped blaster. Two shots, two dead guards and he moved on again.

He was aware of people watching him, it was hard to ignore the holocameras following his every move but he paid them little mind. If the Zygerrians wanted to watch a clone slaughter their people, so be it. He'd give them a show they'd never forget. Starting with the death of every Zygerrian he saw in the maze.

Falling completely in the mindset of his father, Cody ran hard through the maze, marking corners and dealing death to anyone that crossed his path. To him, this was a training exercise. Collect his scattered squad and destroy the enemies in the combat ground. He'd done it hundreds of times before. This was no different.

#~#~^~#~#

Hanging limp in his chains, trying to look like he was a non-threat now, Gree struggled to stay conscious. He had no idea how long he'd been hanging around but he knew he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. He was at the end of his tether, he just couldn't keep doing this.  
'I'm sorry buir, I'm not gonna make it.' he uttered, pushed to his limit and beyond.

Hearing blaster fire behind him, Gree managed to lift his head and look back over his shoulder. Like an avenging angel from above, Cody stormed the open area and took on the guards that kept the brothers apart. Moving with deadly precision, Cody swirled through the enemy troops, using some as shields and just shooting some where they stood. A stray shot sliced through the chain holding Gree up and he dropped hard, landing in an awkward sprawl on the ground.

Gasping for breath after the heavy knock, Gree vaguely heard the rallying call from Cody. To anyone else it meant nothing but to Gree, it was a signal of hope and family. Rising to his knees, he dug deep for strength and launched at the nearest guard. Making good use of the shackles still on his wrists, Gree caved his skull in and grabbed for a dropped blaster. 

Still working on the main force, Cody smiled faintly at the blaster fire coming from behind. Gree had gotten the message. In minutes it was over, twelve guards dead and the brothers a little worse for wear but alive. Securing his weapon in the holster he'd stolen from a dead guard, Cody ran to Gree, now slumped at the bottom of the rack he'd been chained to.  
'You okay, vod?' Cody asked, taking a knee beside him and looking around for threats.  
'Better now that you're here.' Gree nodded, draining the water bottle he'd grabbed from the nearest body. 'Sitrep.'  
'Nothing good. The slavers are playing games. Rex is in this maze somewhere with a shock collar on and guards giving him a jolt now and then. Saw holofootage of Fox, he's in a cage somewhere. The cage is hooked up to a generator, he moves and it's another shock. No sighting of Wolffe or the girls.' Cody briefed, handing Gree a second blaster and scanning the area slowly.  
'So what's the plan?' Gree asked, getting up into a crouch and looking around.

Eyes sweeping the four exits arranged around Gree's prison, Cody considered each one carefully. He immediately dismissed the one he'd come in through. There was nothing of interest back that way. The one to the far right didn't look right, there was something about it that Cody didn't like at all. To the left was more promising, one exit was heading roughly the same direction as the way Cody had entered but the other went much wider of the original track.  
'We go that way.' Cody nodded, pointing to the far swept track.  
'Are you sure?' Gree asked, glancing towards the route Cody had picked.  
'Buir always taught us to work on instinct, my instincts are telling me to go that way.' Cody grinned, turning his eyes back to Gree. 'Tell me now, vod, are you fit for this? It's going to be fast and brutal. There are guards scattered throughout the maze.'  
'I'll keep up, Cody. We are batchers, we stick together.' Gree replied, getting to his feet and shifting his grip on the dual blasters he was holding.

Nodding sharply, Cody hefted his blaster and took off running again. Gree stuck in close, watching his back and dealing with the guards that came pouring out of the far right entrance. Gree didn't bother to shout a warning, Cody knew and turned, stitching fire across the open area before they bolted into the twisting maze again.

#~#~^~#~#

Head breaking the surface again, Wolffe struggled to stay up against the weight trying so hard to drag him back down. Gulping in air, he fought to keep his head up but the heavy steel around his ankles dragged him back under the surface. If he could just get the weight off, he could fight back and escape but he couldn't get at his shackles. Barriers inside the tank stopped him every time he tried to reach down to his ankles and other barriers kept him from pulling his feet up into his reach.

Fighting down his rising panic, he battled his way back to the surface, sucking in air before the weight dragged him down again. For a few moments, he considered simply giving up and letting the water take him away from the suffering but thoughts of his family chased such thoughts out of his mind again. Thrashing around in the water, he found something - the edge of one of the barriers in the tank. Grabbing it with both hands, he pushed up out of the water, sucking in deep breaths to clear his mind.

The effort was for nothing though. One of the guards jammed an electro staff into his exposed chest. Roaring in agony, Wolffe dropped back into the water fully. Part of his mind was grateful for the fact he was alive, he knew about water and electricity being a bad mix. But the bigger part was totally fixated on survival. Fighting on, he broke the surface again, trying to get air into his lungs and wondering why this was happening.

Suddenly the tank ruptured, the flood of water washing Wolffe out onto the grass. Gasping for air, he lifted his head and smiled weakly. His brothers had found him. Sagging back onto the wet ground, he waited for them. He listened to the sound of battle raging around him and smiled, his brothers were here. He was safe. Soaking wet and having come far too close to death, he was finally safe.

Summoning what little strength he had left, he came up onto all fours, planning to start on removing the weight around his ankles. He never even saw the bolt coming his way until it slammed into his unprotected side, knocking him to the ground again. Screaming in pain, Wolffe instinctively moved to protect his injury, wishing his brothers would hurry up.

Finally it was all quiet around him and Wolffe dared to lift his head again, every movement sending fire racing down his side. They came to him, bloodied and beaten but alive. Without hesitation, Cody stripped the jacket off one of the dead guards and draped it over Wolffe's trembling form as Gree knelt and adjusted the way his legs were resting.  
'Sorry we took so long, vod.' Cody uttered, returning with another stinking jacket and kneeling beside him.  
'You're here now.' Wolffe smiled, flinching at the heat of blaster fire so close to his ankles. 'The others? Where are they?'  
'Rex and Fox are still in the maze somewhere, we're trying to find them. No idea about the girls.' Cody offered, tearing the second jacket apart and forming it into a rough dressing for the burn on Wolffe's left side.

Gritting his teeth to hold back the pained groan as his brothers hauled him up onto his feet, Wolffe automatically curled his left arm over the injury, trying to protect it from further damage. Accepting a blaster and taking a moment to shake the extra water out of his hair, Wolffe scowled, looking around slowly.  
'What's the plan?' he asked, fingers tightening on the strange weapon in his right hand.  
'We're going that way.' Cody replied, pointing out one of the three passages around Wolffe's torture chamber. 'We came in that way and I'm guessing that one is where more guards will enter from. That's what happened at Gree's pickup.'  
'I saw a spot back that way where we could hunker down. The guards would only be able to come at us one way.' Gree suggested, glancing at Wolffe as he spoke.  
'No, we stick together. I am not losing you two again.' Cody replied, eyes fixed on their escape route. 'Unless you're certain you can't keep up Wolffe. It's going to be brutal in there.'  
'I'll keep up. I'm wet and injured but I've survived worse.' Wolffe growled, trusting in his brothers to get him through safely.  
'Alright, let's move.' Cody nodded, breaking into a run towards their target.

Giving over to their specialised training, Wolffe grit his teeth and ran with his brothers. His side burned with every movement but he didn't slow down. He kept with his brothers, slotting into the middle of their group as they escaped back into the maze.

#~#~^~#~#

Curled up in the tiny little cage he'd been forced into, Fox felt his hopes for getting home fade even more. Everything about this planet wore on him, adding little Boba Fett into the mix had turned depression into hopelessness and now, he was starting to doubt in his brothers and his family. They'd left him behind, he was now one of the forgotten brothers, the ones that missed their transports and were lost in the chaos.

Curling up a little more, he tried to find some sort of comfort but there was none to be had. Shifting again, he yelped when he connected with one of the walls again. Recoiling from the shock, he curled up again, turning his face to the floor as he waited for the end. He had nothing left to give. No one was coming for him.

Thinking about his brothers, Fox didn't even notice he'd started to cry silently. Hope was dashed, he wasn't going to ever see his home again. All the promises he'd made would forever be unfulfilled. No more evenings spent listening to Jean-Claude's stories. No more practising the lessons Emily had taught him. It was over for him. They'd rolled the dice on his mission and lost badly. He was alone.

Curled up, head down, he ignored the sounds of battle around him. He figured it was the Zygerrians fighting for who would have the honour of killing him or claiming him as their slave. Or worse, the Empire was coming for him.  
'Fox! Hang in there vod!' great, now he was dreaming. Dreaming about his brothers. 'Fox! Wake up vod! We're coming!'

Ignoring the voices calling for him, Fox went back to his memories, recalling his family and closest brothers as he waited for fate to find him. He wasn't afraid of the Empire, at least in their hands his death would be hard won. Maybe he would have a chance there. It would be tough but he had a chance if the Empire got him.

Grumbling when something poked him through the cage wall, Fox shifted a little and went back to ignoring the noise around him. He wanted to drift away and stop thinking, hopefully he'd stop hurting if he managed it. But it wasn't going to happen. Something was still poking him insistently in the back.  
'Come on Fox, show me you're still alive in there.' Wolffe's voice came to mind. 'Fox! Wake up in there Fox!'  
'What's the hold up Wolffe!' now Cody's voice was first in his mind, bringing back memories of home and family.  
'He's gone internal. I can't rouse him.' Wolffe replied, the terminology familiar to Fox but the situation wasn't.

A loud explosion just nearby snapped Fox out of his morbid thoughts. Lifting his head, he stared up in wonder and disbelief as Cody and Gree worked together to rip the side wall off the cage. Reaching in, they grabbed him under the arms and pulled, dragging him to safety.  
'Easy vod, we're here.' Gree uttered, guiding him onto his stomach and bringing his wrists up.  
'Stay still Fox, we'll have you out of those cuffs in a second.' Wolffe added, crouching and raising the strange looking blaster in his hands.  
'Sorry we took so long to get here, vod.' Cody soothed, one hand landing on his shoulder lightly.

One shot from Wolffe and the binders broke apart, the main parts still attached to his wrists but he was free. Sitting up slowly, Fox looked around at his brothers in wonder, fresh tears cutting through the grime on his face.  
'I thought I was alone.' he breathed, fingers tightening around the blaster Gree handed him. 'I thought I'd been abandoned.'  
'Not gonna happen Fox.' Wolffe grinned, draping one arm around his shoulders. 'Never gonna happen, vod. We stick together.'  
'Can you run, vod?' Cody asked, scanning the area around them. 'We've still got to find Rex and the girls.'  
'I might need a little help but I'll make it.' Fox nodded, his confidence coming back now that he knew he wasn't alone. 'My legs feel so weak.'  
'Lean on me, vod. I've got you.' Gree offered, coming around beside him.  
'We're going that way. Watch for that passage to our left, it'll be were the guards come from.' Cody directed, pointing to the right and another passage out of this area.

Finding his feet and raising his weapon, Fox prayed his abused and weakened body could hold on for just a little bit longer. He was so tired but they couldn't rest. Not until Rex had been found and freed. With a defiant battle cry, the quartet ran for the chosen passage into the rest of the maze. Weapons up and firing hard, they worked together, supporting each other and putting out a wall of firepower as they made their escape.

Fox stumbled and fell just shy of the passage, a steady burn taking root in his right calf. Gree was right there though, returning fire even as he hooked his left arm with Fox's right and dragged him into the maze proper. Dropping to one knee, Wolffe unlaced his right greave and tossed it to Fox. It wasn't very clean or sterile but it would do for a temporary dressing over the blaster burn. Pulling the laces tight and knotting them off, Fox spun and opened fire, finding harmony with his brothers.

#~#~^~#~#

Fighting his rising nausea, Rex hung limply in his bonds. He'd thought he was stronger than anything the Zygerrians could dish out but he'd been proven wrong. Between the beatings, liberal use of shock tactics and his now dislocated shoulder, he was fast running out of options. He couldn't just hang around and wait to be rescued, he needed to get active but there was little he could do. He'd already tried to kick his tormentors when they got too close and had managed to kill one by wrapping his thighs around the neck of his enemy and squeezing as he twisted his body. An effective tactic really, the guard was dead before anyone else could react.

In the long run though, it probably hadn't been the smartest move. The ensuing beating he got in return left him with at least a couple of broken ribs and his right shoulder had been ripped clean out of its socket. It hurt like hell and hanging off it wasn't helping but he didn't dare move, he really didn't want to face that Zygerrian bruiser again.

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Rex glared defiantly at the one holding the electrostaff. He wasn't openly looking for another beating, he was just making absolutely sure that these slavers knew he wasn't beaten yet. He was stronger than any they had tried to enslave before. He was a member of the Loyalist GAR and a proud McKenzie. They would not break his will.

Taking more of his weight on his left arm, Rex lifted his head and snarled, showing his bloodstained teeth as he glared at the guards around him. They could try but he would never break. He was Loyalist GAR strong and that was better than anything they had.  
'Tougher men than you have tried to break my spirit. You will fail as they failed.' Rex snarled, partially hoping another one would be stupid enough to step into his kill zone.

Growling, the big one turned and came back towards him. His uniform was stained with Rex's blood and now he wanted more of it. But he never even got close to placing a hand on Rex. His burly, fur covered body jolted several times before it fell, revealing the shooters beyond. Standing there together, armed and ready to do some serious damage, his brothers had come to his rescue.

Spreading out, they went to town on the Zygerrian guards, completely giving over to the training they knew so well. Breaking hard left and running hard, Fox circled around the enemy troops and took up a position beside Rex, driving the enemy away from him. Coming around from the other side, Wolffe dropped down beside Rex and raised two blasters, putting out a shield of fire as Fox stood.  
'Easy now, vod. We've got you.' Fox grinned, reaching for the shackles.  
'Don't try it Fox, not yet.' Rex warned, biting back a groan when Fox bumped his right arm. 'It's bad, vod. Been out for at least an hour I think.'  
'Shit, sorry vod.' Fox uttered, shifting to wrap both arm around Rex's waist. 'There's nothing for it though, you need to get down now.'  
'Fek, this is going to hurt.' Rex gulped, looking up at his bound wrists. 'Hold tight, I've got a plan Fox. It's crazy but it should work.'  
'Do it, I won't let you fall.' Fox nodded, tightening his grip and hoping Rex knew what he was doing. 'I've got you Rex, do it.'

Bracing for the pain he knew would come from this, Rex watched the battle for a moment before he whistled as loud as he could. Without losing their momentum through the battle raging around them all, Gree and Cody both responded to the distress call. Cody's shot hit first, leaving Rex dangling from his right arm for a few seconds before Gree's shot sliced through the second chain and he dropped. Fox was ready for it though, taking Rex's weight in his arms and dropping to the ground in one smooth movement.

Groaning in agony as he sat there, Rex reached for the third blaster Wolffe was carrying and added to the battlefield chaos around them. Every shot sent fresh waves of pain burning through him but he knew they had to hold their position.  
'Rest a minute vod, the others have the battle in hand.' Fox guided, adjusting his position and firing on the guards coming out of another entrance. 'Let's get your shoulder fixed up, then we'll finish this.'  
'You know what to do?' Rex asked, lowering his weapon but he was ready to fire in support if needed again.  
'Elek vod, buir taught me how.' Fox nodded, the fondness in his voice an indicator he was talking about Emily.

Nodding slowly, Rex closed his eyes and relaxed into Fox's grip on his shoulder. It hurt like hell but this wasn't the first time he'd endured the agony of a dislocated shoulder. Working quickly but carefully, Fox deftly popped it back into place, feeling more than hearing the grinding pop as it went back in. Rex growled in pain and shook under his hands but he didn't scream, he was trying to show he was strong enough.  
'It's done, vod.' Fox soothed, leaving Rex to sit for a moment as he slid over to where Wolffe was kneeling. 'I need to borrow this.'

Coming back with the dirty sleeve that had been tied around Wolffe's thigh, Fox smoothed it out a little and retied it into a makeshift sling. It wasn't professional and it wasn't very neat but it did the job. Nodding sharply, Rex pushed up into a crouch and opened fire again. It still hurt but now it was more of a dull ache, nothing he hadn't dealt with before.

Gathering under the frame where Rex had been hanging, the full team fired as one, picking off the Zygerrians with relative ease. Backs together, they covered the 360 around them easily, five bodies with one mind.  
'Which way Cody?' Fox asked, content to let him lead the mission.  
'The one way these freaks won't expect.' Cody replied, glancing towards the access passage the newest batch of guards was using.  
'You always were one for bold plans, Cody.' Wolffe grinned, covering Rex's right when they were swarmed from all sides again.

Bounding to their feet, the five brothers raced for the open doorway. Urging each other forwards, reaching out to help those that stumbled, they blazed through the enemy troops coming out of the passage and raced inside. Nailing anything that came close to them, they ran through the darkened corridors, looking for a way out. 

Swinging around another corner, their luck ran out. They ran full sprint into a shock trap. Crying out in pain, the five hit the ground, out for the count again.


	38. Auction Block

Groaning softly as he came around, Rex lifted his head and looked around slowly. He recognised where he was, he'd seen it the last time he was on Zygerria. Now they really were in deep shit. They'd survived the maze only for him to be thrown into the slaving pits. From here, there was only one place he could be taken - the auction block.

Peering into the darkness, he sighed softly at the sight of his brothers, sprawled haphazardly around the room. Pausing, he looked around again, doing a headcount. He saw Gree in one corner, Wolffe was more towards the middle of the room and Fox was draped against the nearest wall. Cody was missing though. After all they'd endured, Cody was gone. There was no sign of the girls either; Rex could only hope they'd been more successful with their escape attempts.

Forcing his abused body up, Rex moved around the holding pit, checking on his brothers and moving them into the back corner. It wasn't easy with just one arm but he managed to drag them into the darkness and prop them up together. At different times during their lives, they had all protected each other. Now it was Rex's turn to protect his brothers from harm until they were able to figure out another plan.

Crouched in front of his brothers, eyes on the door he'd noticed earlier, Rex was ready to face off against anyone that tried to take his brothers. He wasn't sure he'd be able to do much, he was so tired, half starved and badly hurt but he wasn't going to just give up.  
'Rex?' Fox muttered, stirring behind him.  
'I'm here, vod. Cody's missing and there's still no sign of the girls.' Rex replied, keeping his focus on the door.  
'Where are we?' Wolffe asked, shifting against the wall.  
'Welcome to the holding pits. This is where the Zygerrians keep their slaves before they go on the auction block. I saw these pits the last time I was here.' Rex spat, shifting his feet and trying to find a more comfortable position.  
'They're going to sell us?' Gree gulped, moving forward to crouch beside Rex. 'Rest vod. I'll take the watch.'  
'Good idea. I don't feel so great.' Rex nodded, moving back to sit between his remaining brothers where he was safer.

They all tensed when the door slid open and two guards entered, dragging Cody between them. Clamping down on their urge to move forward, the quartet hung back as Cody was dumped on the hard floor and the guards left, securing the door behind them. Launching forward, Gree scooped Cody over his shoulders and brought him back to the group, gently easing him down between Rex and Wolffe.  
'Cody? Wake up Cody.' Rex coaxed, shaking him gently. 'Come on Cody, wake up.'

No one wanted to admit it but they were all terrified that Cody wasn't going to wake up this time. Whatever had happened to him while they were separated, it had taken a toll on him. His face was covered in deep bruising, his nose flattened and his eyes practically swollen shut. His chest and back were covered in bruises and whip marks, the skin torn open in places. His right arm hung limp, the swelling and deformity pointing towards broken bones. There was another worrisome swelling around his left knee and another at the right ankle.

Making the choice without saying anything, Wolffe and Gree gently lifted Cody again and carried him to the middle of the holding pit. Setting him down gently, the team did what they could to ease his pain and support his injuries. Gree unlaced his bracers fully and used them to stabilise Cody's right arm, pulling them as tight as he could before untying the cloth Barriss had given Cody and using that to fashion a rough sling. Wolffe removed his left greave and unlaced it completely before feeding the heavy leather under Cody's left knee. Threading the laces back through, he pulled it tight and hoped it would be enough. Removing both the guards he'd been wearing around his arms, Fox pulled the laces out and bent the thick leather around Cody's swollen ankle. It wasn't a proper brace but with the two bits of leather firmly laced into place and anchored to each other it would do the job.

Uttering a suggestion to his brothers, Rex moved back into the darkness and shed his longer pants. It was no hardship for him to make this choice. Cady had suffered so much for them; it was time they all gave back. Handing his reasonably intact pants to Gree, he accepted the ragged remnants of Cody's clothes and pulled them on, careful not to make any of the tears bigger. It took a bit more effort to get Cody dressed again but between Wolffe, Gree and Fox, they managed to stretch the material over the makeshift braces and get him covered up again.

Gathered around their severely injured brother, the remaining four knew help had to come soon or this horrid planet and the slavers that called it home would claim Cody's life. He needed medical aid and it was clear the slavers weren't going to give it to him.

#~#~^~#~#

Sleeping in shifts so someone was always awake to watch over Cody, Wolffe was on shift when the door opened again. Coming up onto one knee, he was ready to protect his brothers from harm. The guards weren't interested in any of them though. Instead, they dumped two more prisoners in the cell and left, spitting curses at Wolffe as they left.

Glancing back at his brothers, Wolffe darted across the room to check on the other prisoners that had been dumped in here. He almost cried in relief when he recognised them. They were beaten and covered in blood but by some miracle or pure stupidity on the part of the Zygerrians, Ahsoka and Barriss had been returned to them.

Gently picking Ahsoka up first, Wolffe carried her back to his brothers and eased her down beside Rex. Going back for Barriss, he absently noticed her dress was even more ragged as he picked her up and headed back to the security of their team. Barriss stirred as he went to gently set her down beside Gree.  
'Wolffe?' she whispered, eyes widening in wonder.  
'We're all here, Barriss. Cody's not doing so good; he's been unconscious for hours.' Wolffe sighed, turning and padding back over to Cody's side.  
'There's nothing I can do for him, Wolffe.' Barriss confessed, indicating the collar around her neck. 'This is more than a normal slaving collar. It's designed to enslave Jedi; I can't access the Force while it's around my neck. Ahsoka already tried to take it off but it shocks anyone that touches it.'  
'Shit, just when we needed some good news.' Wolffe groaned, slumping to the floor and hanging his head. 'I don't know how much longer he'll survive without help.'

Eyes widening again, Barriss reached out and grabbed Wolffe's hands, examining the gloves he was still wearing. They were thin leather but they might over enough protection for him to get the damned collar off. Releasing his hands, she shuffled closer and lifted her chin so he could get at the locking mechanism.  
'Your gloves might offer enough protection to undo the locking clasps. If you can, I can heal Cody somewhat before you put it back on.' she guided, glancing at Cody's still form.  
'Hang on; I've got something we can use.' Wolffe nodded, getting up and heading back towards his brothers.

He came back a few moments later with a bent chain link. Sitting in front of Barriss, he reached out and hooked the link into the locking clasp. Forging ahead despite the pain of hot metal in his fingers and electricity charging over his hands, he pried the clasp open and threw the broken link across the cell. Prising the collar off, Barriss set it to the side and reached out to first heal Wolffe's burnt fingers before turning her attention to Cody.

Stirring when someone touched him, Rex blinked and looked up but Wolffe wasn't there to rouse him for guard duty. Settling again, he realised what had awoken him and smiled. Ahsoka was here, curled in against his chest as she slept.  
'Wolffe?' he called softly, trying not to wake Ahsoka.  
'Go back to sleep, vod. We're all here. Barriss is trying to help Cody now that I got her collar off.' Wolffe replied, coming over to crouch beside him. 'The collars the girls are wearing negate their ability to use the Force. When Barriss is done, I'll have to put hers back on so no one realises something is wrong.'  
'Copy that, vod.' Rex nodded, setting down and curling up around Ahsoka a little more.

#~#~^~#~#

Time stopped meaning anything to the exhausted and despondent little group as they sat in their holding cell, waiting to either be sold or rescued. Cody had eventually regained consciousness, but his survival had taxed Barriss to the limit. Now she spent most of her time curled up beside Gree, resting as peacefully as she could in the situation. Rex stayed beside Cody, doing whatever he could to ensure his brother was comfortable. Naturally, Cody had asked about the wardrobe switch. Rex explained his reasons for it calmly; still satisfied he'd made the right decision. Cody had endured so much for his brothers; Rex felt the least he could give in return was a decent pair of pants to keep him warm.

Their routine didn't change much as time passed them by. Those that were feeling up to it would wander around their cell, trying to stay in some form of reasonable condition just in case another chance to escape presented for them. At one point, Cody managed to get onto his feet, leaning heavily on Wolffe and Fox as he made a few slow circuits of the cell and relieved his bladder in the darkest corner of the cell.

Then came the moment when their routine was brutally altered. The door slid open and the guards poured in, shock whips cracking to drive the team out of their cell. At first the guards forced Cody out of the arms of his brothers but when he fell a third time and was unable to rise, they changed tactics. One group of guards herded the rest of the team ahead, leaving Cody in the cell with the Jedi.

Instead of allowing the brothers to help, the slavers forced the young girls to lug Cody's weight. It wasn't easy for them and Cody was in agony but he forced his abused and broken body to bear his weight. It was walk or crush the two young Jedi under him. They did their best to support him, taking his weight and keeping him from falling but everyone knew they couldn't hope to get him all the way to the action block. 

Taking a huge risk and knowing he would pay for it, Rex defied the slavers, ducking the whips to get back to Cody's side. With strength no one thought he still possessed, Rex went to one knee and guided Cody across his shoulders, gritting his teeth against the searing pain in his right shoulder. Gripping only with his left hand, Rex walked on, struggling under Cody's weight. He would make it; he was not going to drop Cody. He owed his brother that much.

Forced out onto the hot grounds of the auction pit, Rex narrowed his eyes and headed for the raised platform in the middle. From there, they would have the best chance of spotting familiar faces in the crowds above. Every step was agony, the baking hot floor burning his bared feet and Cody's weight crushing down on him but somehow he made it to the lower steps.

Knowing that Rex would never be able to get up onto the podium without help, his brothers moved forward quickly, setting Ahsoka and Barriss up safely before climbing up and going to their knees. Reaching out together, the trio gently took Cody and lifted him with them, Gree and Wolffe taking his weight as Fox gave Rex a boost onto the podium.  
'Down, it's too much.' Cody gasped, left hand digging into Gree's shoulder.  
'Ahsoka, Barriss. Catch him.' Wolffe guided, turning with Gree and gently easing Cody down into the ready arms of the young girls.  
'Rest now, Cody. You will need what strength you have.' Ahsoka uttered, wiping the sweat from his brow. 'We've got you.'

Spreading out, the remaining four brothers stood their ground, defiant to the end. No one was getting near their brother or their friends. They could try but they would die before anyone laid another unfriendly hand on Cody. Their blood was up, they'd been pushed to the brink and they were going no further! They made their stand here, drawing on lessons learned from their parents to stand their ground.

Ignoring the sales pitch, the mobile quartet stood their ground against the guards. Several tried to force Cody back to his feet but whenever their whips got close, someone else was there to block their shot.  
'Fox, second level on your side.' Barriss hissed, spotting something she didn't like.  
'Oh shit.' Fox gulped, eyes lifting to the indicated location. 'We are so screwed now.'  
'What is it, Fox?' Rex demanded, busy scanning the opposite side to Fox.  
'It's Vader. It's fucking Darth Vader.' Fox replied, a new fear striking him as he gazed up at the Sith lord. 'We are so fucked.'  
'You've still got your wiper, don't you?' Gree asked, tonguing the capsule hidden in one of his teeth. 'If Vader wins the auction, we all use them.'  
'That's no help to the girls.' Wolffe retorted, also checking his wiper was in place.  
'Don't worry about us, we'll be okay.' Barriss replied, most of her attention on Cody. 'Do what you have to do to protect the Loyalist GAR.'

Swaying when one of the flying whips caught him in his right shoulder, Rex hissed and went down to one knee, much to the amusement of the crowd. Glancing back over his shoulder at Cody, Rex growled and pushed back to his feet, refusing to be seen as weak. He didn't care about Vader's presence or any of the other buyers out there. If this was to be their last stand, he was going to make damned sure these foul people knew just who they were messing with.  
'Ba'jur bal beskar'gam, Ara'nov, aliit, Mando'a bal Mand'alor— An vencuyan mhi.' Rex recited, mostly for his brothers but the guards heard it too.  
'Education and armour, Self-defence, our tribe, Our language and our leader— All help us survive.' his brothers chanted, the rhyme so familiar and comforting after all they'd been through for this damned mission.

Around then, the bidding continued, a few purchasers scared off by the reality that these men were estranged Mandalorian warriors. In the end it came down to two bidders - Vader and a mysterious woman wearing a purple cloak with a deep, shadowed hood. Every bid Vader made, she doubled it without hesitation. The figures were astounding, reaching into seven digits and showing no sign of slowing down. Vader tried to negotiate with the woman in purple, offering her the rest of the lot if he could have the Togruta. In response, the woman in purple doubled her offer for the complete lot.

Eventually Vader gave up and allowed the woman to have the lot. The deal was done and a different door opened around the outside of the auction pit. Instead of more guards, four slaves entered, wearing little more than the long pants Rex had started the mission wearing. The only real difference was the deep blue hoods over their heads, obscuring their faces.

Getting down off the podium, the group headed for the waiting trio. Brushing off Wolffe's offer to carry Cody, Rex once again swept his wounded brother over his shoulders and headed towards the quartet. Behind him, Wolffe picked Ahsoka up to protect her softer feet from the harsh, hot stone floor as Gree swept Barriss onto his shoulders and followed along.

#~#~^~#~#

Settled in a larger version of the ship they'd used at the beginning of the mission, the away team were still tense. They'd been shown to this simple room and told to wait until someone came to get them. Most of them were sitting on the floor, wrapped up in blankets Ahsoka had found in one of the lockers. Cody was tucked up in the single berth in the room, absolutely exhausted but miraculously still alive. He wasn't doing so great though, he desperately needed a real medic to tend to him, not just the weak attempts at healing that Barriss was doing when she had enough energy saved up. They all needed proper medical attention but Cody was the priority.

Heads coming up when the door opened, the conscious six couldn't believe their eyes. There before them stood the four men in tight pants and blue hoods, all smiling warmly at the group in the room. Crying out in joy and shock, Fox, Rex and Wolffe scrambled to their feet, bolting into the welcoming embrace of their adoptive fathers.  
'Shhh, its okay now Rex. You're safe and you're home. Shhh, it's over now. You're never going back there again.' Rufus soothed, holding Rex tight and rubbing his back slowly.  
'Breathe Fox, its over. You did it, you survived and now you're home again. Calm down, you're safe now. No one will ever try that with you again.' Jean-Claude promised, not really bothered by the lack of clothing between them as he held Fox to his chest.  
'I've got you Wolffe, I'm here now. I'm here, you're safe again. It's over, you did what had to be done. You made it back, just like you promised.' Shane whispered, sitting on the floor with Wolffe curled up against his chest.

Weaving through the trio of fathers with their sons, Aloysius stopped dead and stared in horror at his wounded son tucked up in the bed. Stepping over Barriss and around behind Gree, he perched on the side of the bed, reaching out to touch Cody's hair lovingly.  
'What have they done to you, Cody? Hang in there, ad, I'm here now. You're safe now, no one will ever hurt you like this again.' Aloysius swore, devastated to see his son so badly hurt. 'Make some space!'

Shuffling back out of the way, everyone in the room made room for Aloysius as he tenderly gathered his unconscious son into his arms and slipped back out of the room. His desperate screams for a medic brought more footsteps towards their room. Most of the stampede stopped somewhere in the corridor but some kept coming towards the room.

First into the room was Emily, dressed in her usual combat armour. Dropping to her knees, she skidded across the floor and bundled Gree into her embrace, holding him tight as he wept openly on her shoulder. Whispering soothing words in his ear, Emily rocked slowly as she held him, so very glad he was home safely.

Kit and Aayla were next into the room, weaving through everyone else to gather Ahsoka and Barriss to their chests. Sitting in the corner, Aayla ended up with Barriss curled in her lap, sobbing helplessly. Beside them, Kit held Ahsoka and let her cry out the stress of the mission on his shoulder.

Then came a great fluttering of wings as the Draconis made their presence known. Calling softly, they returned to their partners, nuzzling close and trying to bring some comfort to their distraught friends. Comforting embraces were opened to the loving partners, every one of them finding their own comfortable spots to curl up.

Last into the room, led by Jahamii's insistence as he made the run, Kix scrambled into sight and cried at the sight of his lover so broken and traumatised. Looking up from Shane's shoulder, Wolffe choked and shot to his feet, wrapping Kix up in the warmest, most loving hug he could manage. Forgetting all about their audience and keeping their relationship on the down low, Kix held his lover so possessively and kissed him with all the built up passion he had.  
'Fuck, I've missed you so much Wolffe.' Kix uttered, resting their foreheads together lightly.  
'Don't let go, Kix. Don't ever let me go.' Wolffe uttered, shaken to the core and desperate for someone to love him again.  
'Never going to happen.' Kix promised, sinking to the floor right there and cradling Wolffe in his lap. 'I will never let you go.'

Lifting his head from Emily's shoulder, Gree burrowed even closer and sniffed pathetically. He still couldn't believe he was safe, it didn't feel real. Humming softly, Emily held him tight and stroked his filthy hair, giving him something to anchor to until he felt more comfortable with the sharp snap back to his family.  
'Buir, if it wasn't you bidding for us who was?' he asked, looking around the room slowly.  
'I figured I'd be an obvious choice so I sent someone else in my place.' Emily grinned, glancing towards the door. 'Oh, mysterious buyer, won't you come in here?'

All eyes turned to the door as the mysterious buyer stepped into sight, body enshrouded in the long purple cloak with the deep hood. Reaching up, they lowered the hood, revealing the concerned face of Gena.  
'You stood up to Vader…for us?' Rex uttered, stunned by what she'd done for them.  
'I would stand up to the Emperor for any of you.' Gena replied, crouching and stroking his overgrown and tangled mop affectionately.  
'You could have gotten the job done much cheaper but you didn't.' Ahsoka added, awed by what Gena had done.  
'In this case, Ahsoka, the credits don't matter. We pulled a fast one with the funding. It looks like I paid but in reality, it was all faked.' Gena chuckled, reaching out to rest one hand on Fox's back. 'I could have bid any number and it would have looked like I paid.'

Shifting Gree in her arms when her comm beeped, Emily smiled as she tapped the button and brought her favoured Admiral into the conversations all around.  
"Welcome back, all of you. I suggest you brace for combat, scanners are picking up on a pursuing Imperial fleet. Even at your current speed, you will be in the danger zone for an estimated twenty minutes as the fleet engages the Imps." He reported, looking around slowly at the group of returned friends. "Where is Cody?"  
'He was taken to the onboard medbay. His injuries are severe. We would appreciate it if you could do all in your power to protect this ship. An unsteady flight could be detrimental to his health.' Emily warned, too close to safety to risk Cody now.  
"I will deploy all fighters to create a screen between the Imps and your ship. I would suggest you give your pilot a swift kick up the ass to get him moving as well."  
'I'll see to that Admiral Corbin.' Emily grinned, glancing at Gena. 'Would you mind, Gena?'  
'Course not, Emily. I'll get some more speed out of this ship.' Gena nodded, getting up and leaving the room. 'But I'd still brace for combat.'  
'That's the plan Gena.' Emily laughed, shuffling back into the nearest corner and cradling Gree tightly to her chest. 'Everyone find a corner and hold on, this could get crazy.'


End file.
